Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) 'From Prophetic Hadiths' VIII

Virtues Of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) From The Prophetic Hadeeth

In This Section Of The Article, We Shall Cover The Following Topics In Relation To Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf):

From The Descendants Of Prophet Muhammad (saw)

His Name Resembles The Prophet (saw)

The Khalifah Of Allah (swt)

The Last Of The Twelve Imams From The Ahlulbayt (a.s)

Economic Prosperity And Fair Distribution Of Wealth

Superior To Prophets (a.s) And The Shaikhayn 

The Advent Of Isa ibn Maryam (a.s)

Leader of Isa (a.s) In Prayers

Allegiance To Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) 

The Appearance Of Al-Sufyani And The Event Of Khasf Al-Bayda

Fight Against The Dajjal

313 Companions (Abdaals/Saints)

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - From The Descendants Of Prophet Muhammad (saw) 

It is a lamentable fact that most of the books about the biography of the progeny of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) have been destroyed to the contingencies of time and were unable to reach us. The books that have reached us, due to grace of Allah (swt) upon us, include a book authored by a noble and eminent companion of Imam Alee Naqi (a.s.), known as Fazl bin Shazan and author of his famous book 'Isthbat Raj'a.'

Aboo Muhammad Fazl bin Shazan was a revered companion of Imam Alee Naqi (a.s), an expert in Jurisprudence and polemics. The author died in 260 A.H in the year coinciding with the death of Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s.) and commencement of occultation and vicegerency of Imam Mahdi (ajf). Due to this, it be­comes evident that the aforementioned book is either written before 260 A.H or at least in that year, and thereby the value of the book increases, because of it being ancient. This book plays a significant role in context of doctrine of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf). 

We shall now look at some of these narrations and show parallels between those of our opponents.

Al-Hurr Al-Amili (D. 1104 A.H.):

And the trustworthy and truthful Fadhl bin Shadhan (r.a) narrated in his book Ithbat Al-Raj'a, the following:

Narrated from Muhammad bin Abdul Jabbar, he said: I said to my master Al-Hassan bin Alee (a.s): "O son of Allah's messenger (saw) - May Allah (swt) make me a redeemer for you - I would like to know about the Imam and Hujjah of Allah (swt) for the people after you?" He (a.s) said: "The Imam and Hujjah after me is my son, he has the same name and nickname of the Prophet (saw), he is the seal of the Hujjahs of Allah (swt) and the last one of his Caliphs." He said: "From whom is he descended?" The Imam (a.s) said: "From the daughter of the son of Kaiser, the king of Rome, he will be born but then he will enter into a long occultation, and then he appears." [Hadeeth]

And he (r.a) said: And Ahmad bin Ishaq bin Abdallah Al-Ash'ari narrated to me, who said: I heard Aba Muhammad bin Alee Al-Askari (a.s) say: "All praise is to Allah (swt), Who did not remove me from the world until He showed me the last one after me. He is most like the Prophet (saw) in both creation and character. Allah (swt) will protect him during his occultation and then he will appear to fill the earth with equity and justice, as it had been filled with oppression and injustice."

And he (r.a) said: And Muhammad bin Alee bin Hamza Al-Alawi said narrated to me, who said: I heard Aba Muhammad (a.s) say: "The vicegerent of Allah (swt) and the proof over His creation, and my successor, was born in the night of mid-Sha'ban, in the year 255, at the break of dawn." [The Hadeeth further mentions some of his (a.s) conditions] 

Source: Ithbat Al-Hudat. Vol. 5, Pg. # 196 - 197, # 681 - 682.

Fadhl bin Shadhan (D. 260 A.H):

Narrated from Muhammad bin Alee bin Hamzah bin Al-Hassan bin Ubaidullah bin Al-Abbas bin Alee bin Abi Talib (a.s), he said: I heard Aboo Muhammad (a.s) saying: "The Wali and Hujjah of Allah (swt) and the successor after me is born circumcised in the night of mid-Sha'ban in 255 A.H at the break of dawn. The first one who bathed him was Ridhwan, the guard of paradise with a group of close angels. He was bathed with the the water of Kawthar, then he was bathed by my aunt Hakimah bint Muhammad bin Alee Al-Ridha (a.s)."

So Muhammad bin Alee bin Hamzah asked about his mother (i.e. the mother of Al-Mahdi (ajf)). He (a.s): "His mother is Malikah, whom sometimes is called Sawsan, and sometimes Rayhana. And Narjis and Saqeel also belong to her names."

Source: Mukhtasar Ithbat ur-Raj'a. Pg. # 212.

Fadhl bin Shadhan (D. 260 A.H.):

Narrated to us Muhammad bin Isma'eel, from Hammad bin Isa, from Ibraheem bin Umar Al-Yamani, from Aban bin Abi Ayyash, from Sulaym bin Qays (r.a), who said: I asked Alee (a.s): "O Ameerul Mo'mineen! I heard some commentary of the Holy Qur'aan from Aboo Dhar (r.a), Salman (r.a) and Miqdad (r.a), and some narrations they heard from the Holy Prophet (saw) that the people don't have. After that I heard confirmation of these from you. I have seen a lot of things relating to the commentary of the Holy Qur'aan and lots of narrations from the Holy Prophet (saw) in people’s hands and they are different from what I have heard from you. And you claim that they are invalid. Do you think that these people intentionally lie about the Holy Prophet (saw) and comment on the Holy Qur'aan in their own understanding?" So Alee (a.s)  said: "O Sulaym! You have asked so understand the answer."

...And when the Holy Prophet (saw) informed me about all that, he kept his hand on my chest and prayed to Allah (swt) to fill my chest with knowledge, understanding, judgement and light. And he (saw) used to say: "O Allah (swt)! Teach him and make him remember, and do not make him forget anything of what I have told him and taught him."

One day I asked him: "O Prophet of Allah (swt)! Since the day you prayed for me, whatever you prayed, I have not forgotten the knowledge that you taught me, so why do you make me write and why do you ask me to write? Do you fear that I will forget?"

He (saw) replied: "O my brother, I am not afraid that you will forget it or be ignorant of it. I love to supplicate for you, and Allah (swt) has informed me that He will make you and your partners as my successors. They are those whom Allah (swt) has made their obedience equal to His obedience and mine. He said about them: {O those who have believed, obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and the possessors of authority among you.}"

So I said: "Who are they, O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" 

He (saw) said: "They are those who are my successors after me. The ones that will not be harmed by those who forsake them. And they are with the Holy Qur'aan, and the Holy Qur'aan is with them. They do not separate from it, and it does not separate from them until they all return to me and the Lake (in the hereafter). By them my followers are supported, and by them they are showered by rain, and by them they are undone of calamities, and by them the supplications are answered."

So I said: "Then name them for me, O Messenger of Allah (saw)."

He (saw) said: "You O Alee (a.s), are the first of them. Then this son of mine - while placing his hand on the head of Al-Hassan (a.s), and then this other son of mine - while placing his hand on the head of Al-Hussain (a.s), and then Alee Zayn ul-Abideen (a.s), who shall be born in your time, so convey my salutations to him. Then his son Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s), then his son Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s), then his son Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s), then his son Alee Al-Rida (a.s), then his son Muhammad Al-Taqi (a.s), then his son Alee Al-Naqi (a.s), then his son Al-Hassan Al-Asakri (a.s), then his son the Hujjah, the Qa'im, the seal of my successors, and the punisher of my enemies, and the one that will fill the earth with equity and justice as it had been filled with oppression and injustice."

Sulaym said: Then Ameerul Mo'mineen (a.s) said: "Wallah, I know all of those people that will pledge allegiance to him (i.e. Al-Mahdi (ajf)) between the Rukn and the Maqam, and I know the names of his supporters and also their tribes."

Muhammad bin Isma'eel said: Then Hammad bin Isa said: I mentioned this narration to my master Abi Abdillah (a.s), and he cried. He said: "Sulaym has spoken the truth. This has been narrated to me by my father, from his father Alee bin Al-Hussain (a.s), from his father Al-Hussain bin Alee (a.s), who said: "I heard this narration from Amirul Mo'mineen (a.s) when Sulaym asked him."

Source: Mukhtasar Ithbat ul-Raj'a. Pg. # 201 / 204 - 206.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Narration (s) through Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s):

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: Narrated to us Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Najran from Asim ibn Hamid from Ibn Hamza Al-Thumali from Abi Abdullah (a.s) from the Prophet (saw) in a narration saying to Alee (a.s): "Know that my son will take revenge from your oppressors and the oppressors of your Shi'a in Dunya and Allah (swt) will punish them in the Hereafter." Then Salman said: "Who is he O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" He (saw) said: "The ninth descendant of Al-Hussain (a.s), who will appear after a long occultation and he will publicly preach the religion of Allah (swt) and make the religion victorious and he will take revenge from the enemies of Allah (swt) and will fill the Earth with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and tyranny."

Footnote: Ithbatul Huda: 3/569, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 537.

Al-Mazzi:

Al-Bayhaqi said: …and the narrations about the uprising of Al-Mahdi (ajf) are of the most authentic chains. Among them are the narrations mentioning that he is of the Progeny of the Prophet (saw).

Source: Tahdheeb Al-Kamal. Vol. 25, Pg. # 150.

Al-Albani:

"Al-Mahdi (ajf) is of the Progeny, from among the children of Faatima (s.a)."

(Narrated in Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan Ibn Majah, Al-Mustadrak of Al-Hakim) from Umm Salamah.

Al-Albani: Saheeh (Authentic).

 "Al-Mahdi (ajf) is from among us, the Ahlulbayt (a.s), Allah (swt) will reform his affairs overnight." 

(Narrated in Musnad Ahmad, Sunan Ibn Majah) from Alee (a.s).

Al-Albani: Saheeh (Authentic).

"Al-Mahdi (ajf) is from me, his forehead is broad, his nose is narrow. He will fill the Earth with justice and equity, as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, he will rule for seven years." 

(Narrated in Sunan Abi Dawood, Al-Mustadrak of Al-Hakim) from Abi Sa'eed.

Al-Albani: Hasan (Good).

Source: Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer. Vol. 2, Pg. # 1140, H. # 6734, 6735 and 6736.

Abi Ya'laa:

Narrated to us Aboo Bakr ibn Abi Al-Nadhr from Aboo Al-Nadhr from Al-Murajji ibn Rajaa Al-Yashkari from Isa ibn Hilal from Bashir ibn Nahyak who said: I heard Aba Huraira saying: My friend Abul Qasim (saw) said: "The Day of Resurrection will not happen until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rises, and will fight with them so that they might come back to the Truth." I said: "How long will it be?" He said: "Five, and two." I asked: "What is five and two?" He said: "I don't know."

Footnote: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic).

Narrated to us Abdul-A'laa from Hammad from Thabit from Abi Uthman that Aba Huraira was in a journey and when they stopped and the dinner was served, people gathered around him and then he mentioned the hadeeth.

Footnote: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Musnad Abi Ya'laa, Vol. 12, Pg. # 19 - 20.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal:

Narrated to us Aboo Al-Nadhr from Aboo Mu'awiyah Shayban from Matar ibn Tahman from Abil Siddiq Al-Naji from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The Hour (day of judgment) will not happen until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules the Arabs, whose forehead is broad. He will fill the Earth with justice, as it was filled with oppression before that, he will be for seven years."

Shuaib Al-Arna'ut: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic), without the part: "He will be for seven years."

Source: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Vol. 17, Pg. # 209 - 210.

Al-Hakim:

Narrated to us Al-Sheikh Aboo Bakr ibn Is'haq and Alee ibn Hamshad Al-Adl and Aboo Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Balawaih from Awf from Aboo Siddiq Al-Naji from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The Hour (day of judgment) will not come until the Earth is filled with oppression and tyranny and enmity, then a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) will rise and will fill it with equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny and enmity."

Al-Hakim: This Hadeeth is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim) and they have not narrated it, and the narration with this chain and the chains of the Hadeeth of Asim from Zirr from Abdullah, all of them are Saheeh (Authentic) as I have established in this book to act upon the narrations of Asim ibn Abi Najood, because he is an Imam of the A'immah of the Muslims.

Footnote: Al-Dhahani: It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn i.e, (Bukhari and Muslim).

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 600.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal:

Narrated to us Hajjaj and Aboo Na'eem, from Fitr, from Al-Qasim bin Abi Bazza, from Abi Tufayl, who said: I heard Alee (a.s) saying: The Prophet (saw) said: "If there was only one day left of this world, Allah (swt) would send a man from us to fill it with justice as it was filled with injustice." Aboo Na'eem said: "A man from me." He said: Once mention it from Habib, from Abi Tufayl, from Alee (a.s), from the Prophet (saw). 

Footnote: Ahmad Shakir: Both chains are Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Vol. 1, Pg. # 500, H. # 773.

Ibn Hibban:

Ahmad ibn Alee ibn Al-Muthanna narrated from Aboo Khaythamah narrated Yaḥya ibn Sa'eed from 'Awf narrated Aboo Al-Siddiq that Aboo Sa'eed Al-Khudri said the Prophet, (saw) said: "The Hour will not occur until the earth is filled with injustice and hostility. Then, a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s), or my offspring, will come out. So, he will fill it with equity and justice just as it had been filled with injustice and hostility."

Al-Albani: Saheeh (Authentic). 

Shuaib Al-Arna'ut: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) upon the standard of the two Sheikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Source: Saheeh ibn Hibban. Vol. 15, Pg. # 236, H. # 6823.

Ibn Majah:

Anas ibn Malik narrates: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: "We, the children of Abd-ul-Muttalib (r.a), will be the chiefs of the people of Paradise, that is, myself, Hamza (r.a), Alee (a.s), Ja'far (r.a), Hassan (a.s), Hussain (a.s) and Mahdi (ajf)."

Footnote: Al-Sindi says: "In the chain is Alee bin Ziyad, and I do not know who weakened or trusted him. The rest of narrators are trustworthy."

Source: Sunan ibn Majah. Vol. 4, Pg. # 414, H. # 6 / 4087.

Imam Mahdi (ajf) - From The Progeny Of Sayeda Faatima (s.a)

The perplexing mystery we are inoculated with is why the scholars among our opponents aim to conceal that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) would be from the progeny of Sayeda Faatima (s.a). Their classical scholars had no qualms about acknowledging the reported lineage of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) in famous works like Saheeh Muslim, yet we find that these very narrations are nowhere to be found in today's manuscripts. What is it that they are trying to hide? 

Introduction To Kanzul Ummal

Muttaqi Al-Hindi:

And he (Muttaqi Al-Hindi) has used the following symbols: 'KH' for Saheeh Al-Bukhari, 'M' for Saheeh Al-Muslim, 'Q' for the both of them (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim), 'D' for Sunan Aboo Dawood, 'T' for Al-Tirmidhi, 'N' for Al-Nasa'i, 'M' for Ibn Majah [and so forth].

Source: Kanzul Ummal. Vol. 1, Pg. # 6.

Muttaqi Al-Hindi:

The Prophet (saw) said: "The Mahdi (ajf) is from my progeny, from the children of Faatima (s.a)." Narrated by 'D' (Sunan Aboo Dawood) and 'M' (Saheeh Muslim), from Umm Salamah (r.a).

Source: Kanzul Ummal. Vol. 14, Pg. # 264, # 38662.

Al-Adawi Al-Hamzawi:

And in Muslim, Aboo Dawood, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Al-Bayhaqi and others, it is narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: "The Mahdi (ajf) is from my progeny, from the children of Faatima (s.a)."

Source: Mashariq ul-Anwar. Pg. # 112.

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami:

And of that is what Muslim, Aboo Dawood, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Al-Bayhaqi and others have narrated: "The Mahdi (ajf) is from my progeny, from the children of Faatima (s.a)."

Source: Al-Sawa'iq Al-Muhriqah. Pg. # 227.

Abd Al-Aleem Al-Bustawi:

Al-Bukhari narrated in his Tarikh Al-Kabeer: Abdallah bin Al-Ghaffar bin Dawood narrated from Aboo Al-Mulayh Al-Riqqi, who heard from Ziyad bin Bayan, who heard Alee bin Nufayl, who heard Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyib, from Umm Salamah (r.a), from the Prophet (saw) who said: "The Mahdi (ajf) is a truth, and he is from the progeny of Faatima (s.a)."

Source: Al-Mahdi Al-Muntadhar. Pg. # 196, # 5.

Al-Hakim:

Sa'id ibn Musayyab relates that he heard Umm Salamah (r.a) say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) mention Mahdi (ajf). He said: "Yes, Mahdi (ajf) is the Truth (that is, his appearance is true and imminent) and he will be from the children of Faatima (s.a)."

Footnote: Saheeh (Authentic) on conditions of Muslim by Al-Hakim. Al-Dhahabi is silent about it.

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, H. # 379 / 8671, Pg. # 600 - 601.

Ibn Majah: 

It was narrated that Sa'eed bin Musayyab said: "We were with Umm Salamah (r.a) and we were discussing Mahdi (ajf). She said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: 'Mahdi (ajf) will be one of the descendents of Faatima (s.a).'"

Al-Albani: Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Saheeh Sunan ibn Majah. Vol. 3, Pg. # 340, H. # 3317.

Al-Albani:

Narrated Alee ibn Aboo Talib (a.s): The Prophet (saw) said: "If only one day of this time (world) remained, Allah (swt) would raise up a man from my family who would fill this earth with justice as it has been filled with oppression."

Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mo'mineen: The Prophet (saw) said: "The Mahdi (ajf) will be of my family, of the descendants of Faatima (s.a)." Abdullah ibn Ja'far said: "I heard Abul Malih praising Alee ibn Nufayl and describing his good qualities."

Footnote: Narrations have all been attested as Saheeh/Hasan Saheeh (Reliable/Authentic) according to Al-Albani.

Source: Saheeh Sunan ibn Majah. Vol 4, H. # 4282 - 4284, Pg. # 20 - 21.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - From The Progeny Of Imam Al-Hassan (a.s) and/or Hussain (a.s)

Some hold the belief that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) will be from the offspring of Imam Al-Hassan (a.s). However, these narrations are not authentic but are still presented as evidence. In reality, there is no problem with this because the mother of Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) was the daughter of Imam Al-Hassan (a.s), hence it is indeed true that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is also from the Progeny of Imam Al-Hassan (a.s). 

Likewise, narrations have also been reported which suggest that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) will be from the progeny of Imam Hussain (a.s) and also from both the Imams, Hassan (a.s) and Hussain (a.s).

We also find that some of the narrators in these narrations have been denounced, which is not at all surprising, since it is just an old and typical technique of the scholars of the Nawasib to accuse every narrator who narrates any narration in regards to the merits of Ahlulbayt (a.s), and this can be seen throughout history. More astonishing is their shameless philosophizing around this issue and double standards when something opposes their desires.

From Imam Hassan (a.s)

Ibn Qayyim:

The third: He is a man from the Ahlulbayt (a.s) of the Prophet (saw), from the progeny of Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s), who will come out at the End of Time, when the earth is filled with tyranny and oppression, so he will fill it with justice and equity and most of the narrations point to this.

And in him being of the progeny of Al-Hassan (a.s) there is a fine secret and that is the fact that Al-Hassan (a.s) left the Caliphate for the sake of Allah (swt), so Allah (swt) chose from his progeny someone for the Caliphate to establish the truth and justice that will fill the earth and that is the Sunnah of Allah (swt) among His servants that whoever leaves something for His sake, Allah (swt) will return it to him or will give his progeny better than that and this is in contrary to Al-Hussain (a.s), because he was greedy of it (i.e. Caliphate) and fought for it, but did not succeed to achieve it, and Allah (swt) knows best.

Source: Al-Manar Al-Manif Fi Saheeh Wa Al-Da'eef. Pg. # 151.

Ibn Taymiyyah:

And also the appointed Mahdi (ajf) is of the descendants of Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s) and not from Al-Hussain (a.s) as it passed previously through the narration of Alee (a.s).

Source: Minhaj Al-Sunnah Al-Nabawiyyah. Vol. 8, Pg. # 258.

Al-Albani:

Aboo Dawood said: I narrated from Haroon bin Al-Mugheera, from Amr bin Abi Qays, from Shu'ayb bin Khalid, from Aboo Is'haq who told that Alee (a.s) looked at his son Al-Hassan (a.s) and said: "This son of mine is a Sayyid (chief) as named by the Prophet (saw), and from his loins will come forth a man who will be called by the name of your Prophet (saw) and resemble him in conduct but not in appearance." He then mentioned the story about his filling the earth with justice.

Al-Albani: Da'eef (weak).

Source: Sunan Aboo Dawood. Pg. # 767, H. # 4290.

 

Shu'ayb Al-Arna'ut:

Aboo Dawood said: I narrated from Haroon bin Al-Mugheera, from Amr bin Abi Qays, from Shu'ayb bin Khalid, from Aboo Ishaq who told that Alee (a.s) looked at his son Al-Hassan (a.s) and said: "This son of mine is a Sayyid (chief) as named by the Prophet (saw), and from his loins will come forth a man who will be called by the name of your Prophet (saw) and resemble him in conduct but not in appearance." He then mentioned the story about his filling the earth with justice.

Footnote: Shu'ayb Al-Arna'ut: It's chain is Da'eef (weak). Aboo Is'haq is Amr bin Abdallah Al-Subay'ee. He has seen Alee (a.s) but not a single narration is proven to be narrated from him. And Na'eem bin Hammad has narrated it from others, from Isma'eel bin Ayyash, from whom he narrated, from Muhammad bin Ja'far, from Alee bin Abi Talib (a.s). And in its chain are vague people as you can see.

Source: Sunan Aboo Dawood. Vol. 6, Pg. # 347, H. # 1/4290.  

Now we find that the following narration has been narrated with the name of Imam Hussain (a.s) in place of Imam Hassan (a.s), which makes us suspicious that the Sunan of Abi Dawood may have been tampered with at a later date.

Ibn Al-Athir Al-Jazari:

The more correct opinion is that he is from the descendants of Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s), because of the stipulation of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s) about it:

Narrated to us our Sheikh, the head of the scholars of Hadeeth, the matchless of his time, Umar ibn Al-Hassan Al-Ruqqi, in the form of Qara'at from Abul Hassan ibn Al-Bukhari from Umar ibn Muhammad Al-Darqizzi from Abul Badr Al-Karkhi from Abul Bakr Al-Khateeb from Aboo Umar Al-Hashimi from Aboo Alee Al-Lu'lui from Aboo Dawood Al-Hafiz who said, It has been narrated that Haroon ibn Al-Mughira said; narrated to us Umar ibn Abil Qays from Shu'ayb ibn Khalid from Aboo Ishaq that: Alee (a.s) looked at his son Al-Hussain (a.s) and said: "This son of mine is a Sayyid (chief) as named by the Prophet (saw), and from his loins will come forth a man who will be called by the name of your Prophet (saw) and resemble him in conduct but not in appearance." He then mentioned the story about his filling the earth with justice.

Ibn Al-Athir Al-Jazari said: "This is how Aboo Dawood has narrated this narration in his Sunan and he is silent about it."

Source: Asmaa Al-Manaqib Fi Tahdheeb Asnaa Al-Matalib. Pg. # 165 - 168.

From Imam Hussain (a.s)

Al-Dhahabi:

And from his calamities (i.e. Al-Abbas ibn Bakkar) is his narration: Narrated to us Abdullah ibn Ziyad Al-Kilabi from Al-A'mash from Zirr from Hudhayfah from the Prophet (saw) about Al-Mahdi (ajf): Then Salman said: "O Messenger of Allah (saw), from which son of yours is he?" He (saw) said: "From this son of mine" and then he (saw) struck on the shoulder of Al-Hussain (a.s) with his hand."

Source: Mizan Al-I'tidaal. Vol. 4, Pg. # 50.

As you see Al-Dhahabi cannot tolerate this fact and calls it a calamity and accuses one narrator, dismissing the fact that it has been narrated through many more narrators and accusing Al-Abbas Ibn Bakkar does not help his evil trick.

Na'eem ibn Hammad:

Narrated Al-Walid and Rishdayn from Ibn Lahi'a from Abi Qabil from Abdullah ibn Amr who said: "A man from the Progeny of Al-Hussain (a.s) will rise from the east, even if the mountains confront him, he will crush them and will make his way through them."

Source: Al-Fitan.  Pg. # 371 - 372, H. # 1095.

Al-Ganji Al-Shafi'i:

The stipulation of the Prophet (saw) that Al-Mahdi (ajf) is from the progeny of Al-Hussain (a.s):

Narrated to us Al-Hafiz Abul Hajjaj Yusuf ibn Khalil ibn Abdullah Al-Damishqi, we heard it from him in his lecture in the city of Halab, he said narrated to us Abul Fateh Nasir ibn Muhammad ibn Abil Fateh Isma'eel ibn Al-Fadhl Al-Sarraj from Aboo Tahir Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abdul-Rahim from Al-Hafiz Sheikh of the scholars of Hadeeth and their role-model in narration Abul Hassan Alee ibn Umar ibn Ahmad ibn Mahdi ibn Masoud Al-Shafi'i known as Al-Darqutni from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa'eed from Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn Is'haq ibn Yazid from Sahl ibn Sulayman from Abi Haroon Al-Abdi who said "I went to Aba Sa'eed Al-Khudri and said to him: "Have you witnessed the Badr?" He said: "Yes!" I said: "Didn't you narrate to me something that you have heard from the Messenger of Allah (saw) about Alee (a.s) and his merits?" He said: "Yes I will narrate to you; when the Messenger of Allah (saw) became ill and it was severe, then Faatima (s.a) visited him and I was sitting on the right side of the Messenger of Allah (saw), when she saw the illness of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and his weakness, she could not stop crying, until her tears dropped down her face. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to her: "...and from us is the Mahdi of this Ummah, behind whom Isa (a.s) will pray." Then he struck on the shoulder of Al-Hussain (a.s) and said: "Mahdi of this Ummah will be from him."

I say: This is how Al-Darqutni, the scholar of Jarh wa Ta'dil (scholar of Rijal), has narrated this narration.

Source: Kifayatul Talib. Pg. # 501 - 503.

At times they seem to have removed entire chapters from their books to hide this fact, like they have done with the book Sobul Al-Huda Wa Rashad, which contains a chapter in the biography of Imam Al-Hussain (a.s) insisting that Imam Al-Mahdi (atf) is from among his descendants, but they have removed it and only the title of the chapter is to be seen there with blank content. 

Al-Salihi Al-Shaami:

Chapter Seven: About the fact that Al-Mahdi is from among his (i.e. Al-Hussain's) descendants.* 

[  ]

Footnote: * this part is blank in the manuscripts.

Source: Sobul Al-Huda Wa Rashad. Vol. 11 Pg. # 235 - 236.

From both Imam Hassan (a.s) and Imam Hussain (a.s)

We also find other narrations which mention that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) will be from both Imam Hassan (a.s) and Imam Hussain (a.s). 

Tabarani has narrated such a hadeeth in his Kabir and it has been deemed fabricated, yet a shorter version has been narrated in his Sagheer in which one narrator in the chain has been deemed weak but reliable by others, and all other narrators, trustworthy. However, the opinion leans towards Imam Mahdi (ajf) being from the progeny of Imam Hussain (a.s).

Muhibuddin Al-Tabari:

It has been narrated from Alee ibn Alee Al-Hilali from his father who said: I entered upon the Messenger of Allah (saw) in the condition that he passed away, and Faatima (s.a) was sitting near his head, so she wept and her voice raised, then the Prophet (saw) looked at her and said: "O my dear! Why are you crying?" She said: "I am afraid of our condition after you." So he (saw) said: "O my dear, don't you know that Allah (swt) from the people of the earth chose your father and sent him as His Messenger? Then He looked and chose your husband and revealed to me to marry you off to him. O Faatima (s.a)! We are the Ahlubayt (a.s) that Allah (swt) has bestowed seven characteristics upon that He has not given anyone else before us and will not give it to anyone after us: I am the Seal of the Prophets (a.s) and the dearest of them to Allah the Almighty and the most loved of the creation to Allah (swt), your father, and the executor of my will is the best of executors and the dearest of them to Allah (swt), and that is your husband, and our martyr is the best of martyrs and the dearest of them to Allah (swt), and he is Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib (r.a), the uncle of your father and the uncle of your husband and from us is the one who has two green wings who flies in the heaven with angels wherever he wishes and that is the cousin of your father and brother of your husband and from us are the two Sibt of this Ummah and they are your two sons, Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) and they are the chiefs of the youth of Paradise and their father, by the One who has sent me with the Truth, is better than them. O Faatima (s.a)! By the One who sent me with Truth, from them both will be the Mahdi of this Ummah, when the chaos fills the earth and the conflicts appear and the routes are broken and people cheat one another and no elder shows mercy to the younger and no young respects the elderly, then Allah (swt) will send from their progeny someone who will conquer the castles of deviancy and the locked up hearts, he will establish the religion at the End of Times as I established it at the beginning, he will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with tyranny." Al-Hafiz Abul Hala Al-Hamazani has narrated it in his Arba'een about Al-Mahdi (ajf).

Footnote: Al-Tabarani has narrated it in Al-Kabir (2675) and Ibn Al-Athir has narrated briefly in Usd Al-Ghabah 4/127 and this is a fabricated hadeeth as Al-Dhahabi has said in Al-Mughni 2/716 and Al-Haythami says in Al-Majma' 9/166: In it there is Al-Haytham ibn Habib and Aboo Hatam said: He is Munkar Al-Hadeeth and he has been accused due to this very narration.

And it passed before in a short form in the chapter of the merits of Faatima (s.a) through the hadeeth of Al-Tabarani from Abi Ayyub Al-Ansari.

Footnote: It passed before in the chapter of her merits and the merits of her family. Al-Tabarani has narrated it in Al-Sagheer 94 and in its chains there is Qays ibn Al-Rabi and he is weak, but he has been also authenticated and the rest of its narrators are trustworthy (Majma' Al-Zawa'id, 9/166).

Explanation: (Chaos) refers to wars and conflicts. (Locked up hearts) refers to hearts that are locked from hearing the truth.

And it has been narrated also from him that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "From them, i.e. From the progeny of Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s), will be the Mahdi (ajf)."

And it has been narrated from Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) that the Prophet (saw) said to Faatima (s.a): "Al-Mahdi (ajf) will be from your Progeny."

And it has been narrated by Hudhayfah that the Prophet (saw) said: "Al-Mahdi (ajf) is from my Progeny, his face is like a shining star."

And it has been also narrated from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri and Abdul-Rahman ibn Awf and others that he will be of the Progeny of the Prophet (saw). What has been narrated on that specifically about Al-Hussain (a.s):

It has been narrated from Hudhayfah who said: The Prophet (saw) said: "Even if only one day remains from the world, Allah (swt) will lengthen that day so that a man from my Progeny rises whose name is my name." Salman said: "From which one of your sons O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" He said: "From this son of mine" and he stroke with his hand on Al-Hussain (a.s).

The absolute term about this issue that passed before is given precedence over this conditional wording.

Source: Dhaka'ir Al-Uqba. Pg. # 235 - 236.

Al-Tabarani:

Alee Al-Hilali narrates that the Prophet (saw) said to Faatima (s.a): "I swear by the One who has sent me with the Truth! Surely, the Mahdi (ajf) of this Ummah will be from among (the children of) these two, that is, Hassan (a.s) and Hussain (a.s). At a time when the world will be subject to chaos and turmoil, roads will be cut off and people will attack one another, no elderly will show love to the younger and no youngster will respect the elderly, then Allah (swt) will send a person from among these two who will conquer the forts of disbelief and open closed hearts. He will establish Islam in the last days of the Ummah as I have established it in the early days (of this Ummah). He will fill the earth with justice just as it was formerly filled with tyranny and per seduction."

Footnote: This is fabricated, Al-Dhahabi says in Al-Mughni that Al-Haytham ibn Habib has narrated a false Hadeeth through Ibn Uyaina and he is the suspect in that chain. in Al-Majma' it says: And in its chain there is Al-Haytham ibn Habib and Aboo Hatam has said that he is Munkar Al-Hadeeth and he has been accused because of this narration, and also in Al-Awsat, Majma Al-Bahrain through this chain and he says that this narration has not been narrated from Alee ibn Alee except through Sufyan, and Al-Haytham is the only person who has narrated it.

Source: Mu'jam Al-Kabir. Vol. 3, Pg. # 52 - 53, H. # 2675.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - His Name Resembles The Prophet (saw) 

Amongst the false attributes given to Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is that his father would carry the same name as the Holy Prophet's (saw) father 'Abdullah.' The name of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is in fact Muhammad (as the Shi'a also believe). However, one of the report adds that the name of the father of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is Abdullah. Now let us read both arguments from each side:

Al-Ganji Al-Shafi'i:

His Kunya and that he resembles the Prophet (saw) in his  morality:

Narrated Al-Hafiz Abul Hassan Muhammad ibn Abi Ja'far Al-Qurtubi and others in Dimashq and Al-Mufti Saqr ibn Yahya ibn Saqr Al-Shafi'i and others in Halab all of them said: Narrated to us Abul Faraj Yahya ibn Mahmoud Al-Thaqafi and Aboo Alee Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad ibn Al-Hassan from Al-Hafiz Aboo Na'eem Ahmad ibn Abdullah from Muhammad ibn Zakariyya Al-Ghulabi from Al-Abbas ibn Bakkar from Abdullah from Al-A'mash from Zirr ibn Abish from Hudhayfah who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Even if only one day remains of the world, Allah (swt) will appoint a man whose name is my name and his manners is like mine, his Kunya is Aba Abdullah, people will pay allegiance to him between Al-Rukn and Maqaam, Allah (swt) will empower the Religion with him and give him victory, so there will remain no one on Earth who does not say, 'There is no God but Allah (swt).'" Then Salman said: "O Messenger of Allah (saw)! From which one of your sons will he be?" He (saw) said: "From this son of mine" and he struck on the shoulder of Al-Hussain (a.s) with his hand.

I say: This narration is Hasan (Reliable), Allah (swt) bestowed on us with it with a high chain, praise be to Him, and his (saw) statement: "His manners are like mine" is the best metaphor that Al-Mahdi (ajf) will revenge the Religion of Allah (swt) against the disbelievers, as the Prophet (saw) did and Allah (swt) said: "You are verily of great morality."

Source: Kifayatul Talib. Pg. # 509 - 510.

Ibn Qayyim:

And in Sunan of Abi Dawood it has been narrated from Alee (a.s): That he looked at his son Al-Hassan (a.s) and said: "This son of mine is a Sayyid (chief) as named by the Prophet (saw), and from his loins will come forth a man who will be called by the name of your Prophet (saw) and resemble him in conduct but not in appearance and will fill the earth with justice."...

Source: Al-Manar Al-Manif Fi Saheeh Wa Al-Da'eef. Pg. # 142 .

Sheikh Hadi Al-Najafi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq has narrated from his father and Ibn Al-Walid and Ibn Mutawakkil, all of them have narrated from Sa'd and Al-Himyari and Muhammad Al-Attaar, all of them have narrated from Ibn Isa and Al-Barqi and Ibn Abil Khattab, all of them have narrated from Ibn Mahboub from Dawood ibn Hussain from Abi Basir from Al-Sadiq (a.s) from his forefathers saying: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Mahdi is from my descendants, his name is my name and his Kunya is my Kunya. He is the most resembling people to me in his creation and manners. There is an occultation and perplexity for him, during in which period communities will deviate from their religions, then he will come like a piercing star and would fill up the earth with justice and equity as it will be fraught with injustice and oppression."

The narrations chain is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Mawsu'atu Ahadeeth Ahlulbayt (a.s). Vol. 8, Pg. # 232, H. # 9889.

Al-Dhahabi:

I say: he (i.e. Amr ibn Alee Al-Fallaas) has authored and collected Hadeeth, of his narrations that reached us through a high chain is what: Narrated to us the knowledgeable and pious Sheikh, the head of the scholars of the time, Abul Ma'aali Ahmad ibn Al-Qadhi, the Imam, the scholar of Hadeeth, Rafiuddin Abi Muhammad Is'haq ibn Muhammad Al-Muayyid Al-Hamazani, Al-Misri, I heard him narrating: Narrated to us Al-Mubarak ibn Abi Al-Jawd in Baghdad in the year 620 A.H. from Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Al-Talaya from Abdul-Aziz ibn Alee from Muhammad ibn Abdul-Rahman Al-Mukhallas from Muhammad Haroon from Amr ibn Alee from Yahya ibn Sa'eed from Sufyan from Asim from Zirr from Abdullah who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The days and nights will not end until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules the Arabs whose name agrees with my name."

Al-Tirmidhi has authenticated it.

Source: Siyar A'lam Al-Nubala. Vol. 11, Pg. # 472.

Al-Albani:

"The world shall not pass away until a man from the people of my family rules the Arabs whose name agrees with my name."

(Narrated in Musnad Ahmad, Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan Al-Tirmidhi) from Ibn Mas'oud.

Al-Albani: It is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer. Vol. 2, Pg. # 1217, H. # 7275.

One of the controversies about the personality of Al-Mahdi (ajf) is the name of his father in the sources of our opponents. This is because another version of the above narration exists which has the addition, "and his father's name is like my father's name" and is mainly through one sub-narrator, i.e. Za'ida from Asim from Zirr from Ibn Mas'oud, and in some cases also through Fitr ibn Khalifa. However, they contradict too many other chains that go back to Asim and some to Zirr for this Hadeeth. 

Al-Tabarani mentions fifteen more different chains, which we shall not mention here for the sake of keeping the article short. However, we shall only mention three which have different authentic chains of Ahmad ibn Hanbal up to Asim besides the ones we have already mentioned. It is interesting that these do not contain the last part: "...and his father's name is like my father's name." These three chains of the ahadeeth Ahmad ibn Hanbal has narrated from are of the closest chains up to Asim, because there are only one or two intermediaries between Ahmad and Asim:

Ahmad ibn Hanbal:

Narrated to us Sufyan ibn Uyaina from Asim from Zirr from Abdullah from the Prophet (saw): "The world shall not pass away until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules whose name is my name."

Abdullah ibn Ahmad said: My father said: "He narrated it to us in his house when some of the children of Ja'far ibn Yahya asked him, or Yahya ibn Khalid ibn Yahya."

Ahmed Shakir: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic).

Narrated to us Umar ibn Ubayd from Asim ibn Abi Najood from Zirr ibn Hubaysh from Abdullah from the Prophet (saw): "The days will not end and the world shall not pass away until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules the Arabs whose name is my name."

Ahmed Shakir: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic).

Narrated to us Yahya ibn Sa'eed from Sufyan from Asim from Zirr from Abdullah from the Prophet (saw): "The world will not pass away" or "The world will not end until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules the Arabs whose name is my name."

Ahmed Shakir: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic). Sufyan here is Al-Thawri.

Source: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Vol. 3, Pg. # 491, 493 - 494, H. # 3571 - 3573.

Al-Ganji Al-Shafi'i:

Narrated to us Al-Allamah, The Proof of Arab, Sheikh of Sheikhs, Aboo Muhammad Abdul-Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul-Mohsin Al-Ansari from Aboo Muhammad Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Abil Majd Al-Harbi from Abul Qasim ibn Al-Hussain from ibn Al-Madh'hab from ibn Hamdan from Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal from Yahya ibn Sa'eed from Sufyan from Asim from Zirr from Abdullah from the Prophet (saw) that he said: "The world will not end or the world will not come to an end, until a man of my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules the Arab whose name is my name." 

And Al-Hafiz Aboo Na'eem has collected the chains of this narration through a large number of narrators in his book, "Manaqib Al-Mahdi," all of them through Asim ibn Abi Nujood from Zirr from Abdullah from the Prophet (saw).

Of those chains is through Sufyan ibn Uyaina, as we narrated it from him through many chains. And through Fitr ibn Khalifa and the chains up to him are many. And through Al-A'mash and the chains up to him are many. And through Aboo Is'haq Sulayman ibn Firouz Al-Shaybani and the chains up to him are many.

And through Hafs ibn Umar.

And through Sufyan Al-Thawri and the chains up to him are many.

And through Shu'ba and the chains up to him are many.

And through Wasit ibn Al-Harith.

And through Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah Aboo Shaybah, there are two chains up to him.

And through Sulayman ibn Qurm and the chains up to him are many.

And through Ja'far Al-Ahmar, Qays ibn Al-Rabi, Sulayman ibn Qurm and Isbat all of them 

in one chain.

And through Salam ibn Mundhir.

And through Aboo Shahab Muhammad ibn Ibraheem Al-Kanani and the chains up to him are many.

And through Umar ibn Ubayd Al-Tanafisi and the chains up to him are many.

And through Aboo Bakr ibn Ayyash and the chains up to him are many.

And through Abul Jihaaf Dawood ibn Abil Awf and the chains up to him are many.

And through Uthman ibn Shibirma and the chains up to him are many.

And through Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Uyaina.

And through Muhammad ibn Ayyash from Amr Al-Amiri and the chains up to him are many and he has mentioned one chain and said in it: "Narrated to us Aboo Ghassan from Qays without mentioning his father's name."

And through Amr ibn Qays Al-Malahi.

And through Ammar ibn Zariq.

And through Abdullah ibn Hakim ibn Jubayr Al-Asadi.

And through Amr ibn Abdullah ibn Bishr.

And through Abul Ahwas.

And through Sa'd ibn Al-Hasan nephew of Thalaba.

And through Ma'aaz ibn Hashim from his father from Asim.

And through Yusuf ibn Yunus.

And through Ghalib ibn Uthman.

And through Hamza Al-Zayyat.

And through Shayban.

And through Al-Hakam ibn Hisham.

And through other than Asim from Zirr and that is through Amr ibn Murra from Zirr, all of these have narrated only with, "Whose name is my name," except one chain which is through Ubaydallah ibn Musa from Za'ida from Asim and in that he adds, "and his father's name is my father's name." So without any doubt, this addition has no credibility against all those other (above mentioned) Imams who have narrated it without that addition. Allah (swt) knows best.

Source: Kifayatul Talib. Pg. # 483 - 485.

Al-Albani:

The uprising of Al-Mahdi (ajf) is a fact according to scholars:

"The Earth shall be filled with oppression and tyranny, and when it filled with oppression and tyranny, Allah (swt) will rise a man from me, his name is my name, and he will fill it with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and tyranny."

Al-Bazzar has narrated it and Ibn Adi in Al-Kamel and Aboo Na'eem in Akhbar Isbahan from Dawood ibn Mahbar from Abi Al-Mahbar ibn Qahzam from his father Qahzam ibn Sulayman from Mu'awiyah ibn Qurra from his father from the Prophet (saw) and Al-Bazzar says: "It has been narrated by Ma'mar from Haroon from Mu'awiyah ibn Qurra from Abi Siddiq from Abi Sa'eed and Dawood and his father is weak."

But the narration of Ma'mar from Mu'awiyah ibn Rayyab that Al-Bazzar has commented about shows that he has memorized it from Mu'awiyah and that is the correct opinion that we are sure about, because for the narration of Mu'awiyah there are too many supporting chains, it is rather Mutawatir for me from Abi Siddiq from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri, the most authentic among them are two chains through him:

The first one: Awf ibn Abi Jamila from Aboo Al-Siddiq Al-Naji from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri from the Prophet (saw) with the wording: "The Hour will not come, until the Earth is filled with Oppression and tyranny and enmity, then a man from my Progeny will rise," or "From my Ahlulbayt (a.s) and fill it with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and tyranny."

Narrated it Ahmad, Ibn Hibban, Al-Hakim, Aboo Na'eem in Al-Hilya and Al-Hakim says: "It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn" and Al-Dhahabi confirms it and it is as they have said and Aboo Na'eem has pointed after it to its authentication, saying: "It is famous through the narration of Abi Siddiq from Abi Sa'eed."

Source: Silsilatu Ahadeeth Al-Saheehah. Vol. 4, Pg. # 38 - 40, H. # 1529.

Ibn Taymiyyah:

As for the narration that he (i.e. Allamah Al-Hilli) has narrated from Ibn Umar from the Prophet (saw) that he said: "A man from among my descendants will appear in the End of Times, whose name is my name (Muhammad) and his Kunya is like my Kunya (Aboo Al-Qasim), he will fill the Earth with justice and equality, as it was filled with tyranny, and he is Al-Mahdi."

Response: The narrations that he has argued with about the appearance of Al-Mahdi (ajf) are Saheeh (Authentic) narrations, narrated by Aboo Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad and others through Ibn Mas'oud and others.

Source: Minhaj Al-Sunnah Al-Nabawiyyah. Vol. 8, Pg. # 254.

Al-Albani:

Narrated Dawood, from his father Mahbar, from his father Qahdham, from Mu'awiyah bin Qurra, from his father, from the Prophet (saw), who said: "The earth will be filled completely with evil deeds and injustice. When it is fully filled with evil deeds and injustice, Allah (swt) will appoint a man from me, his name will be the same as my name (Muhammad), and he will re-fill it completely with equity and justice, just as it was previously filled completely with evil deeds and injustice."

Source: Silsilatu Ahadeeth Al-Saheehah. Vol. 4, Pg. # 38, H. # 1529.

Aboo Bakr ibn Al-Arabi:

In a narration: "His name is my name and his father's name is my father's name." That made people say that he is Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Mansoor, but it contradicts his (saw) statement: "From the children of Faatima (s.a)." And what is authentic of all this, is that a man from among the Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules and his name is his (i.e. Prophet's (saw)) name and supports it also his statement in the other Hadeeth: "A man from me."

Source: Aaridhatul Ahwazi. Vol. 9, Pg. # 56.

Al-Tirmidhi:

Narrated to us Ubayd Ibn Isbaat ibn Muhammad Al-Qurashi Al-Kufi from his father from Sufyan Al-Thawri from Asim ibn Bahdalah from Zirr from Abdullah from the Messenger of Allah (saw): "The world shall not pass away until a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) rules the Arabs whose name agrees with my name."

Al-Albani: It is Hasan Saheeh (Authentic).

Aboo Isa (Al-Tirmidhi) said: And about this issue, it has been narrated from Alee (a.s), Abi Sa'eed, Umm Salamah and Abi Huraira. And this Hadeeth is Hasan Saheeh (Authentic).

Narrated to us Abd Al-Jabbar bin Al-Ala bin Abd Al-Jabbar Al-Attar, from Sufyan bin Uyaina, from Asim, from Zirr, from Abdallah, from the Prophet (saw), who said: "A man is coming from the people of my family whose name agrees with my name (Muhammad)." Asim said: Aboo Salih narrated to us from Aboo Huraira, who said: "If there did not remain in the world but one day, then Allah (swt) would extend that day until he comes."

Asim said: And narrated to us Aboo Saleh from Abi Huraira that he (saw) said: "Even if it does not remain from this world except one day, Allah (swt) will lengthen that day so that he can rule."

Al-Albani: Hasan Saheeh (Reliable Authentic).

Al-Tirmidhi: This narration is Hasan Saheeh (Reliable Authentic).

Source: Saheeh Sunan Al-Tirmdhi. Vol. 2, Pg. # 488 - 489, H. # 2230 - 2231.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - The Khalifah Of Allah (swt)

Al-Albani:

"Three will fight three people one another near your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner." Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he said: "When you see them, then pledge your allegiance to them even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

And in another narration: "When you see the black banner coming from Khorasan, then join them, even if…"

It is Munkar. Ibn Majah has narrated it and Al-Hakim through two chains from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban from the Prophet (saw) in the first narration and Ahmad from Alee ibn Zayd and also Al-Hakim through Abdullah ibn Wahab ibn Ataa from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from him, but Alee ibn Zayd ibn Jud'han has not mentioned Aba Asmaa in his chain and that is of his mistakes. And through it has narrated Ibn Al-Jawzi in the book Al-Ahadeeth Al-Wahiya briefly and Ibn Hajar in Al-Qawl Al-Musaddad Fi Al-Zubb Anil Musnad and he says: "In Alee ibn Zayd there is weakness" and because of him Al-Manawi has also weakened it in Faydh Al-Qadeer and says: "He has mentioned his weakness through Ahmad and others in Al-Mizan, then Al-Dhahabi says: 'I think it is a Munkar Hadeeth.'" And Ibn Al-Jawzi has narrated it in Al-Mawdhu'aat, Ibn Hajar says: "He is not right (in putting it among fabricated narrations (Al-Mawdhu'aat)), because there is no one in it accused of lying."

I say: And in this statement there are mistakes that should be discussed:

1 - Weakening the hadeeth because of Ibn Jud'han, because he has mistaken that the narration has only been narrated through him and it is not true, because Khalid Al-Hazza has narrated it as well as by Al-Hakim and Ibn Majah as mentioned before and he is trustworthy of the narrators of the Saheehayn (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim).

2 - And he has mistaken that Ibn Al-Jawzi has narrated it through Ibn Jud'han and it is not true, because he has narrated it in Al-Mawdhu'aat through Amr ibn Qays from Al-Hassan from Abi Ubayda from Abdullah ibn Mas'oud from the Prophet (saw) like the second narration of Thawban. Then Ibn Al-Jawzi says: "It has no basis, Amr is nothing and he has not heard from Al-Hassan and Al-Hassan has not heard from Abi Ubayda."

I say: And Aboo Ubayda has not heard from his father Ibn Mas'oud. And Al-Suyuti has commented on it in Al-La'aali through the narration of Thawban and in Al-Zawa'id it says: "Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy."

And Al-Hakim says: "It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of Shaikhayn." And Al-Dhahabi confirms it, even though he says in Al-Mizan: "I think it is Munkar" as mentioned before, and this is the correct opinion, and whoever who has authenticated it has been careless of its problem and that is the An'ana of Abi Qulaba (i.e. saying: 'from' instead of saying: 'I heard'), because he is of the Mudalliseen as Al-Dhahabi and others have mentioned in the previous hadeeth and maybe Ibn Ulaya has weakened the hadeeth through Khalid as Ahmad has mentioned in Al-Ilal and has confirmed it.

However the content of the hadeeth is Saheeh (Authentic), except the statement: "Because in it there is the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

Ibn Majah has narrated it through Alqama from Ibn Mas'oud from the Prophet (saw) like the second narration of Thawban and its chain is Hasan (Reliable) because of its previous narration, because in it there is Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad and there is difference of opinion about him, but he is okay to take him as a supportive narrator and in it there is not mention of, "Caliph of Allah (swt)" and also not, "Khorasan."

And this addition of "Caliph of Allah (swt)" has no stable chain and it is something that it is not proper to take a supportive narration for it, because it is Munkar, as it is understood from the aforementioned statement of Al-Dhahabi and the disliked thing in it is that in religion it is not allowed to say that so and so is the Caliph of Allah (swt), because it might attribute things to Allah (swt) that are not possible like deficiency and disability, and this is what Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah has explained in Al-Fatawi: "And some mistaken people like Ibn Arabi have imagined that the Caliph is the Caliph of Allah (swt), like the Representative of Allah (swt), but for Allah (swt) it is not allowed to attribute a Caliph, and that is why when it was said to Aboo Bakr: 'O Caliph of Allah (swt)!' He said: 'I am not Caliph of Allah (swt), I am rather Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and that is enough for me.' It is rather the Almighty who is the Caliph of the others, the Prophet (saw) said: 'O Allah (swt)! You are the companion on the journey, and the caretaker for the family, O Allah (swt)! Accompany us in our journey, and the successor over our families.'"

And that is because Allah (swt) is the Living, the Witness, the Watcher, the Self Subsistent, the Observer, the Protector and the Needless of the creation, there is no associates to Him and no supporter and no one intercedes before Him except with His permission and Caliph is someone who succeeds the person when he is not there, because of death, of absence and he needs a successor and it is called Caliph, because he takes his place and succeeds him and all these definitions are irrelevant for Allah Almighty and He is innocent of them, because He is the Living, the Witness and He does not die and is not absent. And it is not allowed for anyone to succeed Him and take His place, and someone should not be given that title and name, so whoever specifies a Caliph for Him, he is a polytheist.

Source: Silsilatul Ahadeeth Al-Da'eefa. Vol. 1, Pg. # 195 - 198, H. # 85. 

Ibn Majah:

Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Yusuf both said: Narrated to us Abdul-Razaq from Sufyan Al-Thawri from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa Al-Rahbi from Thawban who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Three will fight three people one another near your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner." Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he (saw) said: "When you see them, then pledge your allegiance to them even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

Footnote (Al-Arna'ut): Its chain is weak. Aboo Qulaba and his name is Abdullah ibn Zayd Al-Jarami, he is Mudallis and he has said: 'from' in this narration, Al-Dhahabi says in Al-Mizan: "He is a famous Imam of the scholars of the Tabi'een. He is trustworthy in himself, but he is Mudallis both from the people that he has met and not met." And Ibn Hajar mentions him in Tabaqaat Al-Mudalliseen and says: "Al-Dhahabi and Al-Alaahi have described him that way."

And this narration has been narrated by Al-Hakim through Sufyan Al-Thawri from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa Al-Rahbi from Thawban from the Prophet (saw), and Abdul-Wahab has opposed Al-Thawri in his narration, and that has been narrated by Al-Hakim and through him Al-Bayhaqi in Dala'il through Yahya ibn Abi Talib from Abdul-Wahab ibn Ataa from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban in the Mawquf manner (i.e. not from the Prophet (saw)).

And Ahmad and through him Ibn Al-Jawzi has narrated it in Al-Ilal Al-Mutanahiya from Waki' from Shareek Al-Nakha'ee from Alee ibn Zayd ibn Jud'han from Abi Qulaba from Thawban. Shareek is weak in his memory and Alee ibn Zayd is weak and he was an extremist Shi'a and Aboo Qulaba has not heard from Thawban, because between them is Aboo Asmaa as in the narration of the author.

And Al-Bayhaqi has narrated it through Kathir ibn Yahya from Shareek Al-Nakha'ee from Alee ibn Zayd from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa Al-Rahbi from Thawban and Al-Dhahabi has mentioned it in Al-Mizan and has considered it of the Munkarat of Alee ibn Zayd ibn Jud'han and says: "I think it is Munkar."

And his statement in the hadeeth: "Because he is the Caliph of Allah (swt)," beside its weakness it is fishy as Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah says in his Fatawi: "And some mistaken people like Ibn Arabi have imagined that the Caliph is the Caliph of Allah (swt), like the Representative of Allah (swt), but for Allah (swt) it is not allowed to attribute a Caliph, and that is why when it was said to Aboo Bakr: 'O Caliph of Allah (swt)!' He said: 'I am not Caliph of Allah (swt), I am rather Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and that is enough for me.'"

Source: Sunan ibn Majah. Vol. 5. Pg. # 211 - 212, H. # 4084.

Objections:

As we see, this narration has been attacked by these so-called scholars due to the following reasons:

1 - The chain of narrators contains Abi Qulaba who is trustworthy but a Mudallis and according to the scholars, the narration of a Mudallis is only accepted if he says: "I heard so and so" and hence saying "from" is unacceptable because he may not have met the person in question and may have heard his narrations from others or even read his narrations from his book etc. 

2 - The content contains the sentence, "Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)" which is unacceptable since it is not allowed that a Caliph be attributed for Allah (swt). 

Response To The First Objection On The Chain Of Narrators:

Aba Hatam Al-Razi:

Abdullah ibn Zayd, Aboo Qulaba Al-Jarami Al-Basri, he died in Shaam. He has narrated from Anas ibn Malik and Malik ibn Al-Huwairith and Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir and he was a governor over Homs and Thabit ibn Al-Dhah'hak and Anas ibn Malik Al-Ka'bi and from he has narrated from A'isha and Ibn Umar in Mursal form and he has seen the time of Abdullah ibn Bisr, but he has not narrated anything from him and he has not narrated from Abi Zayd Amr ibn Akhtab, from their son Amr ibn Bajdaan, but he has heard from Muhammad ibn Abi A'isha in Shaam and he has heard from Abil Ash'ath Al-San'ani and from Abi Asmaa Al-Rahbi and from Ibn Muhayriz and from Abi Idrees Al-Khawlani and Hisham ibn Aamer and Amr ibn Salama.

Narrated from him Yahya ibn Abi Kathir and Ayyub and Khalid Al-Hazza. I heard my father saying that: 

Narrated to us Abdul Rahman from Aboo Abdullah Al-Tehrani from Abdul Razaq from Isma'eel ibn Abdullah from Ibn Awn who said: Ibn Sireen told me: "We know for sure that Aba Qulaba is trustworthy."

Narrated to us Abdul-Rahman narrated my father from Salman ibn Harb from Hammad ibn Zayd from Ayyub who said: "By Allah (swt)! Aboo Qulaba was of the intellectual jurisprudents."

Narrated to us Abdul Rahman narrated my father while I asked him: Aboo Qulaba from Ma'aza is what you prefer or Qutada from Ma'aza, he said: "Both of them are trustworthy and about Aboo Qulaba there is not Tadlees known."*

Footnote: *Ibn Hajar has interpreted it in the meaning that he did not used to narrate in Mursal form from people that he had heard and it is also possible that the meaning of it is that he did not used to narrate in Mursal form making his narrators unknown, he rather used to narrate in Mursal form from people that people knew he has not met them.

Source: Al-Jarh Wa Ta'deel. Vol. 5, Pg. # 57 - 58.

As we see in this early book of Rijal, Aboo Qulaba has heard from Aba Asmaa and also that there is no Tadlees known about him. The two ways in which Ibn Hajar has interpreted that statement does not harm the narrations of Aboo Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban, because Abi Asmaa is of the most famous Sheikhs of Abi Qulaba and his narrations from Abi Asmaa from Thawban have been authenticated by scholars and exist in large numbers in Saheeh Muslim even though none of those chains explicitly say, "I heard Abi Asmaa" or, "narrated to me Abi Asmaa."

We shall now go on to evidence the authentication of the narrations of Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban by the two very same scholars, Al-Albani and Al-Arna'ut to expose their double standards.

Abi Dawood:

Narrated to us Sulayman ibn Harb narrated to us Hammad from Ayyub from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban who said: the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "If any woman asks her husband for divorce without some strong reason, the odour of Paradise will be forbidden to her."

Shu'ayb Al-Arna'ut: Its chain is Saheeh (Authentic), Hammad is Ibn Zayd Al-Azdi and Ayyub is Ibn Abi Tamima Kaysan Al-Sukhtiyani and Aboo Qulaba is Abdullah ibn Zayd Al-Jarami and Abi Asmaa is Amr ibn Murthid Al-Rahbi.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawood. Vol. 3, Pg. # 543, H. # 2226.

Al-Albani:

From Thawban who said: the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "If any woman asks her husband for divorce without some strong reason, the odour of Paradise will be forbidden to her."

Al-Albani: It is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood. Vol. 2, Pg. # 17, H. # 2226.

We see that the same chain from Abi Qulaba here is considered Saheeh (Authentic) by Al-Albani and Al-Arna'ut who have weakened the narration of Al-Mahdi (ajf) because of the chain from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban, even though Abi Qulaba does not mention in this chain that he has heard it from Abi Asmaa from Thawban. We can clearly see the deceit and double standards of the scholars of our opponents.

Let us now go on to show some examples of narrations which include the chain of Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban in Saheeh Muslim without translating the content of those narrations, since that is not the topic of discussion:

Muslim ibn Hajajj:

Source: Saheeh Muslim. Pg. # 444, H.# 994 / Pg. # 925, H. # 1920 / Pg. # 1195, H. # 2568(31), (40), (41), (42) / Pg. # 1321, H. # 2889.

Thus the objections against the chain of this hadeeth are very irrelevant. The Nasibi scholars have weakened it without any legitimate reason, while they themselves have authenticated those chains in other places.

Response To The Objection On The Content:

As mentioned earlier, Al-Albani and Al-Arna'ut quote Ibn Taymiyyah's objection against the hadeeth saying that it is not allowed for anyone to say that Allah (swt) has a Caliph and so have deemed it to be rejected (Munkar).

We often find that whenever Ibn Taymiyyah and many other scholars of the Nawasib wish to refute their opponents, they accuse them of an opinion and then go on to refute that attributed opinion. In this case it is no different, Ibn Taymiyyah attempts to interpret, 'Caliph of Allah (swt)' as someone who succeeds Allah (swt) and takes His place and that it would mean Allah (swt) is absent and no longer 'exists.' But the reality is, that no sane person believes in such a Caliph. The attribution of, 'Caliph of Allah (swt)' is similar to when we say, 'House of Allah (swt).' It does not mean anything other than a Caliph being appointed by Allah (swt) Himself as in the case of the Ka'ba being the House of Allah (swt), and that it was built so that His servants can visit and remember Him at that specific, blessed location. 

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'aan:

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُواْ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

"And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a Caliph, they said: What! wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do not know." 

Holy Qur'aan {2:30}

Now let us take a look at the commentaries of this verse and how it has been explained:

Al-Tabari:

Narrated to me Yunus who said: Narrated to us Ibn Wahab from Ibn Zayd who said: Allah (swt) said to the Angels: "I want to create on earth people and put among them a Caliph." And at that time there were no creatures except Angels and on earth there were no creatures.

And this opinion is what has been narrated from Al-Hassan and it is possible that Ibn Zayd meant that Allah Almighty informed the Angels that he wants to put a Caliph for Himself on earth who rules on His servants with His decree, like what narrated to me Musa ibn Haroon from Amr ibn Hammad from Asbaat from Al-Suddi in a narration of his from Abi Malik and Abi Saleh from Ibn Abbas and from Murra from Ibn Mas'oud and from a group of the companions of the Prophet (saw) that Allah Almighty said to His Angels: "I am going to put a Caliph on earth." They said: "O Lord, what is that Caliph?" He said: "He will have descendants on earth who will envy each other and fight with each other."

So the interpretation of the verse would be that what we mentioned from Ibn Mas'oud and Ibn Abbas that: "I am going to put a Caliph for Me on earth who will represent Me in his rule among my servants, and that Caliph is Adam (a.s)" and whoever succeeds him in their obedience to Allah (swt) and rules with justice among His servants. As for mischief and bloodshed unjustly, it would be through other than His Caliphs and through other than Adam (a.s), and whoever succeeds him righteously among the servants of Allah (swt), because they both of them said that Allah Almighty said it to His Angels when they asked: "What is that Caliph?" He said that that Caliph would be through Him and will have descendants who will do mischief on earth and envy each other and fight with each other. So He attributed mischief and bloodshed to his descendants and not He himself and He declared His Caliph innocent of that.  

Source: Tafsir Al-Tabari. Vol. 1, Pg. # 479 - 480.

Al-Qurtubi:

And the meaning of Caliph here according to Ibn Masud and Ibn Abbas and all of the scholars of interpretation is: Adam (a.s), and he is Caliph of Allah (swt) to implement His rulings and orders, because he was the first Messenger on earth, as in the narration of Abi Dharr who said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah (saw), was he a Prophet and Messenger?" He said: "Yes."

Source: Tafsir Al-Qurtubi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 394 - 395.

Ibn Atiyya:

Ibn Mas'oud says: Its meaning is: "A Caliph through Me in leadership among My servants" i.e. Adam (a.s) and those who take his place and succeed him are from among his descendants.

Source: Tafsir ibn Atiyya. Pg. # 71.

Al-Suyuti And Al-Muhalli:

"And mention O Muhammad! When your Lord said to the angels, 'I am going to place in the earth a Caliph' who will represent Me by implementing my decrees on earth and he is Adam (a.s)."

Source: Tafsir Al-Jalalayn. Pg. # 6.

Al-Baghawi:

And by Caliph here Adam (a.s) is meant, He has called him Caliph, because he succeeded the Jinn, i.e. He came after them and it is also said: It is because others will succeed him, but the correct opinion is that he is Caliph of Allah (swt) on earth to establish his rulings and implementing his orders.

Source: Tafsir Al-Baghawi. Vol. 1,  Pg. # 79.

Al-Razi:

As for the meaning of Caliph here, what is it? There are two opinions: One of them is that it is Adam (a.s) and the statement: "Do you want to place in it people who shall make mischief in it?" The meaning is his descendants, not himself, and the second opinion is that they are the children of Adam (a.s). As for those who have said that it is Adam (a.s), they differ upon why has He called him Caliph and they have mentioned two explanations for it. The first one is that: Because He Almighty banished the Jinn and placed Adam (a.s) on earth and Adam (a.s) was the successor of those Jinn who lived on it before him and this is something which has been narrated from Ibn Abbas. The second explanation is that: Allah (swt) called him Caliph, because he represented Allah (swt) in His decrees among His servants and this has been narrated from Ibn Mas'oud and Ibn Abbas and Al-Suddi and this opinion is emphasized by His statement: "O Dawood! We did indeed make you a Caliph on earth: So judge between people in truth (and justice)." {38:26}

Source: Tafsir Fakhr Al-Razi. Vol. 2, Pg. # 180 - 181.

Al-Baydhawi:

And Caliph is someone who succeeds someone else and represents him and the ending "H" is for emphasis and by that Adam (a.s) is meant, because he was Caliph of Allah (swt) on earth, and so every other Prophet that Allah (swt) chose to build the earth and guiding people and lead them towards their perfection and to implement His rulings among them, not because Allah Almighty is in need of someone to succeed Him, but because of the shortcoming of the servants in accepting His grace and taking His orders directly without intermediaries and that is why he did not appoint any Angel as a Prophet as Allah Almighty says: "And if We had made him an angel, We would certainly have made him a man." {6:9}.

Source: Tafsir Al-Baydhawi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 68.

Al-Khazin:

By Caliph is meant Adam (a.s), because he succeeded the Jinn and was created after them and it is said: It is because others succeed him, but the correct opinion is that he is called Caliph, because he is Caliph of Allah (swt) on earth to establish his decrees and implement his rulings.

Source: Tafsir Al-Khazin. Vol. 1, Pg. # 35.

Aboo Hayyan:

And Caliph: It is said that it is Adam (a.s), because he was a successor of Angels who were on earth or Jinn the descendants of Jaan or the kingdom of Iblees on earth, or Caliph of Allah Almighty and that is the opinion of Ibn Mas'oud and Ibn Abbas, and the Prophets (a.s) are the Caliphs of Allah (swt) on earth, and only Adam (a.s) has been mentioned in the verse, because he is the father of the Caliphs.

Source: Tafsir Bahr Al-Muhit of Aboo Hayyam. Vol. 1, Pg. # 288.

Ibn Al-Jawzi:

And about the Caliphate of Adam (a.s) there are two opinions:

The first opinion is that he is Caliph of Allah Almighty in implementing His religion and establishing the proofs of His Oneness and to judge among people, and that is the opinion of Ibn Mas'oud and Mujahid.

The second opinion is that he succeeded those who lived before him on earth and that is the opinion of Ibn Abbas and Al-Hassan.

Source: Tafsir ibn Al-Jawzi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 60.

Al-Mawardi:

About the Caliphate of Adam (a.s) there are three opinions:

First: There were Jinn on earth, they did mischief on it and shed blood and so they were destroyed, so they were replaced by Adam (a.s) and his descendants and this is the opinion of Ibn Abbas.

Second: He meant by that the succession of a group of the descendants of Adam (a.s) for the others who succeeded and took the place of their father Adam (a.s) in establishing the Truth and building the earth and this is the opinion of Al-Hassan Al-Basri.

Third: He meant: I am going to place a Caliph for Myself on earth who will represent Me in establishing my decree among my servants, and he is Adam (a.s) and those who succeeded him of his descendants and this is the opinion of Ibn Mas'oud.

Source: Tafsir Al-Mawardi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 95.

Al-Nasafi:

Or it means, "A Caliph of Me," because Adam (a.s) was Caliph of Allah (swt) on His earth and likewise every other Prophet, Allah Almighty says: "O Dawood! We did indeed make you a Caliph on earth." {38:26}.

Source: Tafsir Al-Nasafi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 44.

And Allah (swt) also says for Prophet Dawood (a.s):

يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ

"O Dawood! We did indeed make you a Caliph on earth: so judge between people in truth (and justice): Nor follow the lusts, for they will mislead you from the Path of Allah: for those who wander astray from the Path of Allah, is a Penalty Grievous, for that they forget the Day of Account."

Holy Qur'aan {38:26}

Fakhr Al-Razi:

Then we say in the interpretation of him being Caliph there are two opinions:

First: "We place you to succeed those of the Prophets (a.s) who were before you to invite people towards Allah Almighty and to lead people," because Caliph of someone is the one who replaces him and this is true about someone for whom there is possibility of absence and this is impossible about Allah (swt).

Second: "We have made you a ruler on people and to establish the rulings among them," and with this interpretation he has been called a Caliph, and that is why it is said Caliphs of Allah (swt) on earth.

And the conclusion is that Caliph of a person is someone whose judgment/ruling is legitimate among his people and the reality of Caliphate is impossible about Allah (swt), so when the reality is not possible, the word (i.e. Caliph) is beneficial just to show that reality and that is the legitimacy of his judgment/ruling.

Source: Tafsir Fakhr Al-Razi. Vol. 26, Pg. # 199.

As we see, the above mentioned verses of the Holy Qur'aan and the opinions of the companions and scholars of the so-called 'Ahl us Sunnah' refute the statements of Ibn Taymiyyah who considered Caliph of Allah (swt) a false notion.

The conclusion is, that the Hadeeth which mentions Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) as the Caliph of Allah (swt) means that his lmamate and leadership is by the order of Allah (swt) and its chain and content are completely authentic and correct and there is nothing fishy about it except that it makes some of the Nawasib angry and bitter because it means that they must accept that their idols who usurped the Caliphate, confessed that their Caliphate was not through Allah (swt), but rather man-made, and that in actual fact, Allah (swt) has given this noble position to one of the descendants of those from whom the position was initially usurped.

Now that we exposed the double standards of these scholars on the chain of that original Hadeeth, let us mention some of the scholars who have authenticated the chain regarding Al-Mahdi (ajf) being the Caliph of Allah (swt).

Rahid ibn Sabri:

[Al-Albani: Weak] Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahamd ibn Yusuf both said: Narrated to us Abdul Razaq from Sufyan Al-Thawri from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa Al-Rahbi from Thawban who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: Three will fight three people one another near your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner." Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he said: "When you see them, then pledge your allegiance to them even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

Al-Busayri said: "This chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy."

Al-Hakim has narrated it through Al-Hussain ibn Hafs from Sufyan with the same chain and he says: "This hadeeth is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaykhain (Bukhari and Muslim)."

And Ahmad ibn Hanbal has narrated it in his Musnad and his wording is: "When you see the black banners coming from Khorasan, then you should join them, because Al-Mahdi (ajf) the Caliph of Allah (swt) is among them."

His statement: "Then he mentioned something that I do not remember," it has been mentioned through another chain and Al-Hassan ibn Sufyan has narrated it in his Musnad and Aboo Na'eem in his book Al-Mahdi through Ibraheem ibn Suwayd Al-Shaami from Abdul Razaq that he said after mentioning: "They will kill you" then the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf) will come. When you hear this, you should join him and pay allegiance to him, because he is Caliph of Allah (swt), (mentioned in Zujaja Sharh Sunan ibn Majah).

Al-Sindi says: his statement: "Near your treasure," means your Kingdom, and Ibn Kathir says: "Apparently by treasure mentioned in this narration is meant the Ka'ba."

"Then the black banners appear," Ibn Kathir says: These black banners are not the ones that Aboo Muslim Al-Khorasani came with and destroyed the rule of Bani Umayyah, they are rather other black banners that accompany Al-Mahdi (ajf).

"I do not remember," means that in another chain, which Al-Hassan ibn Sufyan has mentioned in his Musnad and Abi Na'eem in his book Al-Mahdi through Ibraheem ibn Suwayd Al-Shaami.

"Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)," this way Al-Suyuti has mentioned it.

And in Al-Zawa'id: This chain is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy and Al-Hakim has narrated it in Al-Mustadrak and he says: "It is Saheeh (Authetnic) by the criteria of Shaykhain."

Source: Shuruh Sunan ibn Majah. Vol. 2, Pg. # 1503 - 1504, H. # 4084.

Al-Bazzar:

Narrated to us Ahmad ibn Mansoor from Abdul-Razaq from Al-Thawri from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Three will fight three people one another near your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner." Then he mentioned something, then he (saw) said: "When you see him, then pledge your allegiance to him even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

And this narration has been narrated similarly through another chain with this wording and this wording we do not know it except through this narration, even though most of its content have been narrated in other narrations, but we have chosen this hadeeth due to its authenticity and the great status of Thawban and its chain is a Saheeh (Authentic) chain.

Footnote: Ibn Majah has narrated it saying: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Yusuf both said: Narrated to us Abdul Razaq from him and Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak through Al-Hussain ibn Hafs from Sufyan from him and he says: "This hadeeth is Saheeh by the criteria of the Shaykhain." And Al-Dhahabi confirms it.

And Al-Ruyani has narrated it in his Musnad through Abdul-Razaq with his chain and Al-Dani in Al-Fitan through Uthman ibn Isma'eel from Ahmad ibn Mansoor from him.

Source: Musnad Al-Bazzar. Vol. 10, Pg. # 99 - 100, H. # 4163.

Ibn Kathir:

And Ibn Majah said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya and Ahmad bin Yusuf, both from Abd Al-Razzaq, from Sufyan, from Khalid Al-Khaza'i Abi Qulaba, from Abi Asma Al-Ruhbi, from Thawban, who said: The Prophet (saw) said: "Three will fight one another for your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner." Then he mentioned something I did not remember, and then he said: "When you see them, then pledge your allegiance to them even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah (swt), the Mahdi (ajf)."

Ibn Kathir: Ibn Majah narrated it in a singular manner, and this chain is Qawi Saheeh (Strong and Authentic).

Source: Al-Bidayah Wa Al-Nihayah. Vol. 19, Pg. # 61 - 62.

Al-Hakim:

Narrated to us Aboo Abdullah Al-Saffaar from Muhammad ibn Ibraheem ibn Urama from Al-Hussain ibn Hafs from Sufyan from Khalid Al-Hazza from Abi Qulaba from Abi Asmaa from Thawban who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Three will fight three people one another near your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner." Then he mentioned something, then he said: "When you see him, then pledge your allegiance to him even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah (swt), Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

Al-Hakim: This hadeeth is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn.

Al-Dhahabi: It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 510, H. # 140 / 8432.

Al-Suyuti:

Shahr ibn Hawshab narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "In (the month of) Muharram, an announcer will call out from the heaven: 'Beware! Surely, (be informed that) such a person has been chosen by Allah (swt), so listen to him and obey him during the year of uproar and turmoil.'"

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Vol. 2, Pg. # 76.

Al-Suyuti:

Abdullah ibn Umar narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: Mahdi (ajf) will come and there will be a turban on his head. There will be an announcer who will proclaim: "This is Mahdi (ajf), Allah's (swt) Caliph, so follow and obey him!"

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Pg. # 61.

The Last Of The Twelve Imams From The Ahlulbayt (a.s)

Here we shall present ahadeeth wherein the Prophet (saw) mentions the twelve Imams (a.s) and that they will be from the same Qurayshi lineage as himself with Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) being the last of them. It has been made clear and obvious that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is from the Prophet's (saw) family as Al-Suyuti has mentioned in the following narration: 

Al-Suyuti:

Artah has narrated that a person (Mahdi (ajf)) will appear from the Prophet's (saw) family who will fight in the city of Rome and he will be the last leader (Imam) of Muhammad's (saw) Ummah. Dajjal will appear in his time and in his time also Isa (a.s) will descend (from the heaven).

Al-Suyuti after listing the signs of the arrival of Imam Mahdi (ajf), comments: "All these signs which I have summarised from the book, 'Al-Fitan' are by Nu'aym ibn Hammad who was a Hafidh (of hadeeth) and one of the teachers of Al-Bukhari."

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Pg. # 80.

Ibn Kathir:

And the meaning of this narration is the glad tidings of 12 righteous rulers, through whom truth and justice will remain. And it is apparent that the Mahdi (ajf), who is mentioned in the narrations, is one of them. It is mentioned that his name is that of the Prophet's (saw) and his father's name is like that of the Prophet's (saw) father. Then he will fill the earth with justice and equality like it had been filled with oppression and injustice. But this is not the awaited one, the one about whom the Rafidha (Shi'a) are deluded about his presence, who will then appear from a basement in Samarra. That has no truth to it and has no basis entirely. Rather, this is of the crazy and absurd minds and weak imaginations.

Source: Tafsir ibn Kathir. Vol. 5, Pg. # 133.

Al-Albani:

It is narrated by Jabir ibn Samura: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: "Islam will remain established until twelve Caliphs have ruled over you. The Ummah will be united on all of them." Then I heard the Prophet (saw) say (something) which I could not understand. I asked my father: "What is he saying?" He told me that he had said: "All (the twelve Caliphs) will be from the Quraysh."

Albani: Narration is Saheeh (Authentic) except for the part, "The Ummah will be united on all of them."

Narrated Jabir b. Samura: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: "This religion will continue to be strong till the time of twelve Caliphs." The people then uttered: "Allah (swt) is more Great and uproared." He then silently said a word which I could not understand. So I said to my father: "What did he say, father?" He said: "All of them will belong to Quraysh."

Footnote: Narration is Saheeh (Authentic) according to Al-Albani.

Source: Saheeh Sunan Aboo Dawood. Vol. 3, Pg. # 19, H. # 4279 - 4280.

Attested By Al-Suyuti:

Aboo Dawood has devoted a chapter to Imam Mahdi (ajf) in his book As Sunan (Aboo Dawood). In the beginning of the chapter, a narration of Jabir ibn Samura is given. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Until twelve Caliphs have passed, on whom this Ummah will unite." According to another tradition, "This religion will remain dominant till the twelve Caliphs have passed and all of them will be from the Quraysh."

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Vol. 2, Pg. # 85.

Economic Prosperity And Fair Distribution Of Wealth

On the reappearance of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf), the world as it is shall be no more. People, particularly the poor, will be given ample provision and their due rights fulfilled. It shall be a time of prosperity and people will be dealt with fairly without malice or hatred. Corruption, tyranny and oppression shall be overcome and despotic leaders overthrown. The land which was once barren with no signs of growth or wholesome food shall become fertile with abundant rain and produce.

Muslim ibn Hajjaj:

Aboo Nadra reported: "We were in the company of Jabir b. Abdullah that he said it may happen that the people of Iraq may not send their qafiz and dirhams (their measures of food stuff and their money)." We said: "Who would be responsible for it?" He said: "The non-Arabs would prevent them." He again said: "There is the possibility that the people of Syria may not send their dinars and mudds." We said: "Who would be responsible for it?" He said: "This prevention would be made by the Romans." He (Jabir b. Abdullah) kept quiet for a while and then reported Allah's Messenger (saw) having said there would be a Caliph in the last (period) of my Ummah who would freely give handfuls of wealth to the people without counting it. I said to Abu Nadra and Abu Al-A'la: "Do you mean Umar b. Abd Al-Aziz?" They said: "No (he would be Imam Mahdi (ajf))."

Aboo Sa'id reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: "There would be amongst your Caliphs a Caliph who would give handfuls of wealth to the poor, but would not count it." In the narration transmitted on the authority of ibn Hujr, there is a slight variation of wording.

Aboo Sa'id and Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) said: "There would be in the last phase of the time a Caliph who would distribute wealth but would not count."

Source: Saheeh Muslim. H. # 67 - 69, Pg. # 1332.

Ahmad bin Hanbal:

Narrated to us Affan, from Hammad bin Salamah, from Alee bin Zayd, from Abi Nadhra, from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Allah (swt) will bring forth a Caliph in this nation that will distribute handfuls of wealth without counting it."

Footnote: Shuayb Al-Arna'ut: This narration is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Vol. 18, Pg. # 407, H. # 11914.

Al-Haythami:

Chapter of what has been narrated about Al-Mahdi (ajf):

It has been narrated from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "I give you the glad tidings of Al-Mahdi, he will appear in my Ummah when there are turmoil and conflicts among people and earthquakes, so he will fill the earth with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. The residents of heaven and the earth will be satisfied with him, he will distribute the wealth correctly." And a man said: "What does correctly mean?" He (saw) said: "Equally among people." He (saw) said: "And Allah (swt) will put the feeling of richness in the hearts of the Ummah of Muhammad (saw) and his justice will cover them, to the extent that a caller will call, saying: 'Whoever needs of the wealth should come forward, but nobody except one single person.' It will be said to him: 'Go to the treasurer and tell him: Al-Mahdi (ajf) commands you to give me some wealth, so he will tell him: Take as much as you want,' so when he takes it home, he regrets it, saying: 'I was the most greedy of the Ummah of Muhammad (saw) or am I deprived of that self-respect the others are given.' So he will return the wealth, but he (ajf) will say to him: 'No, we do not take back what we have already given.' So will it be for seven or eight years, or nine, then there will be no goodness in life after that." Or he said: "There is no goodness in living after him."

Al-Haythami: I say: Al-Tirmidhi has narrated it in a very short form. Ahmad narrated through several chains and also Aboo Ya'laa briefly and their narrators are trustworthy.

Source: Majma Al-Zawa'id. Vol. 12, Pg. # 431, H. # 12393.

Al-Haythami:

It has been narrated from Jabir who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "In my Ummah there will be a Caliph who will distribute handfuls of wealth among people and will not count it." He then said: "By the One in whose hands is my Soul, they will return."

Al-Haythami: Narrated it Al-Bazzar and its narrators are the narrators of Saheeh (i.e Bukhari and Muslim).

Source: Majma Al-Zawa'id. Vol. 7, Pg. # 435, H. # 12407.

Al-Haythami: 

Aboo Huraira has narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "There will be Mahdi (ajf) in my Ummah who will rule for seven years if the period is short, otherwise for eight or nine years. During Mahdi's (ajf) period, my Ummah will be so prosperous that it will not have experienced such prosperity before it. The sky will pour down torrential rain and the earth will yield it's entire produce. Goods will be lying like a heap of grains on the threshing floor. One man will stand up and say: "O Mahdi (ajf)! Give me something!" So he will say: "Take (as much as you like)."

Al-Haythami: Tabarani narrated it in Al-Awsat and his men are trustworthy.

Source: Majma Al-Zawa'id. Vol. 7, Pg. # 436, H. # 12411.

Al-Albani:

It was narrated from Aboo Sa'eed Al-Khudri that the Prophet (saw) said: "The Mahdi (ajf) will be among my nation. If he lives for a short period, it will be seven, and if he lives for a long period, it will be nine, during which my nation will enjoy a time of ease such as it has never enjoyed. The land will bring forth its yield and will not hold back anything, and wealth at that time will be piled up. A man will stand up and say: 'O Mahdi (ajf), give me!' He will say: 'Take (as much as you like).'"

Al-Albani: It is Hasan (Reliable).

Source: Saheeh Sunan ibn Majah. H. # 4083, Pg. # 679.

Al-Hakim:

Narrated to us Abul Abbas Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Mahboubi  in Marw from Sa'eed ibn Mas'oud from Al-Nadhr ibn Shamil from Sulayman ibn Ubayd from Aboo Siddiq Al-Naaji from Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Al-Mahdi will appear at the end of the Ummah, and Allah (swt) will quench people with rain, and the earth will grow its plants and he will distribute the wealth justly and the livestock will increase in number and the Ummah will grow in number and live seven or eight." I.e. Years.

Al-Hakim: This narration's chain is Saheeh (Authentic), but they (Bukhari and Muslim) have not narrated it.

Al-Dhahabi: It is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4. Pg. # 601, H. # 381 / 8673.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - Superior To Prophets (a.s) And Shaikhayn 

At times, the mind is bewildered at the so-called, 'Ahl us Sunnah' for casting doubts on the belief of the Shi'a in regards to the high rank and position given to the twelve Imams (a.s); Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) being the last of them. The astonishment lies in the fact that they can not fathom that the Imams of the Ahlulbayt (a.s) possess a higher status than the Prophets (a.s) and the Sahaba whom of which they hold dear, but at the same time their own books testify to this. It is without a shadow of doubt that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) holds an exalted position above that of prophets (a.s) (with the exception of Prophet Muhammad (saw)) and those who are referred to as the 'Shaikhayn.' In this part of the article, numerous hadeeth are presented to evidence just that.

Shaykh Alee Ahmad Al-Tahtawi:

The Mahdi (ajf) has merits beside the merits of the companions.

Ibn Sireen has said: "The Mahdi (ajf) is better than Aboo Bakr and Umar. Perhaps he could be better than some of the prophets (a.s)." And he also said: "There will be a Caliph in this nation that will not be superseded in merits by Aboo Bakr nor Umar." This has been narrated by ibn Abi Shayba in his Musannaf, with a Saheeh (Authentic) chain.

Source: Iltiqa' Al-Maseehayn Fi Akhar Al-Zaman. Pg. # 102.

Abi Shaybah:

Narrated to us Aboo Usama, from Hisham, from ibn Sireen, who said: "The Mahdi (ajf) is from this nation. And he is the one that will lead Isa bin Maryam (a.s) in prayer."

Muhammad Awwama: "The narrators are trustworthy, and it has many authentic evidences."

Narrated to us Aboo Usama, from Awf, from Muhammad, who said: "There will be a Caliph in this nation who will not be superseded in merits by Aboo Bakr nor Umar."

Muhammad Awwama: "The narrators are trustworthy."

Source: Al-Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah. Vol. 21, Pg. # 293.

Al-Maqdisi Al-Shafi'i:

It has been narrated from Muhammad ibn Sireen when it was said to him: "Is Al-Mahdi (ajf) better than Aboo Bakr and Umar?" He said: "He is better than them and even matches the Prophet (saw)."

And in another narration he mentioned the conflicts (of the End Times) that would occur. Then he said, "When that occurs, sit in your houses until you hear from the people about the one who is superior to Aboo Bakr and Umar." So it was said, "O Aboo Bakr! Someone superior to Aboo Bakr and Umar?!" He replied, "He is even superior to some prophets (a.s)."

Al-Hafiz Aboo Abdullah Na'eem ibn Hammad has narrated them in his book Al-Fitan.

Footnote: They have been narrated in the chapter Siratul Mahdi, the first hadeeth's chain is Saheeh (Authentic) up to Ibn Sireen and the second one's chain is Hasan (good) up to Ibn Sireen. 

Source: Aqd Al-Durar Fi Akhbaar Al-Muntadhar. Pg. # 222.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - The Advent Of Isa ibn Maryam (a.s)

The advent of Isa (a.s) is a subject which not only Muslims acknowledge but also Christians. The return of Isa (a.s) likewise means the return of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf), however, the status of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is greater than that of Isa (a.s) as to which Isa (a.s) himself recognises and also informs others to recognise his (ajf) position as an absolute Imam, that being of Salaah as well as one who rules according to the Holy Qur'aan and not the Injeel.

Al-Bukhari:

Chapter: The advent (descent) of Isa son of Maryam (a.s):

Narrated Aboo Huraira: Allah's Messenger (saw) said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus (a.s),) the son of Mary (s.a) will soon descend among you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non-Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (swt) (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it." Aboo Huraira added "If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): -- 'And there is none of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus (a.s) as an Apostle of Allah (swt) and a human being) before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them."  

Narrated Aboo Huraira: Allah's Messenger (saw) said "How will you be when the son of Mary (s.a) (i.e. Jesus (a.s)) descends amongst you and your Imam (a.s) is from among you."

Source: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Pg. # 854 - 855, H. # 3448 - 3449.

Mr. Mohsin Khan (the Saudi translator of Saheeh Al-Bukhari) has trimmed the last part of the tradition which states that the Imam of Muslims (i.e. Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf)) is among the Muslims when the son of Mary (s.a) descends. Instead, he has added another sentence which does not exist in the Arabic text. It should also be noted that this is not the only place where he has altered the text, as there are many more examples in this regard which proves his bias and dishonesty.

Al-Bukhari:

Narrated Aboo Huraira: Allah's Apostle (saw) said, "How will you be when the son of Mary (s.a) (i.e. Jesus (a.s)) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Holy Qur'aan and not by the law of Gospel?"

Source: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Vol. 4, Pg. # 412, H. # 3449.

Hamza Muhmmad Qasim:

"How will you be when the son of Mary (s.a) (i.e. Jesus (a.s)) descends amongst you and your Imam (a.s) is from among you." Means that when Isa ibn Maryam (a.s) descends amongst you in the End Times while you are praying and your Imam (a.s) is leading the prayers and he is your leader Al-Mahdi (ajf), Isa (a.s) will pray behind your Imam (a.s) and will follow your nation, will rule according to your religion and in the hadeeth of Jabir: "Then it will be said to Isa (a.s), 'Come forward O Ruhallah!' He will say, 'Your Imam (a.s) should lead you in prayers.'" 

As Ahmad has narrated it and in the narration of Muslim: "Then it will be said to him, i.e. Isa (a.s), 'Come lead our prayers!' He will say: 'No" Some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honour from Allah (swt) for this Ummah.'" And Al-Hirawi says: "His statement: 'And your Imam (a.s) is from amongst you,' means that he will rule according to the Holy Qur'aan and not the Injeel."

Source: Manar Al-Qari Sharh Mukhtasar Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Vol. 4, Pg. # 210.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - Leader of Isa (a.s) In Prayers

It is no mystery that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) will lead Isa (a.s) in prayers. The number of hadeeth on this matter are enough for one to appreciate this truth. Some, with their own flawed logic, state that it is impossible, since a prophet of Allah (swt) cannot pray behind a non-prophet. This in itself is absurd, for rejecting that which has been made so apparent for us all, is tantamount to unbelief of the religion. Why would one reject such a matter? Would it be because in effect, this proves that an Imam can have authority over a prophet? Something that the so-called, 'Ahl us Sunnah' reject.

Ibn Hajar:

Al-Aburi says: The narrations are Mutawatir about Al-Mahdi (atfj) and they have been reported sufficiently through numerous narrators from Mustafa (saw), and that he will be from his (saw) Household (a.s), and that he will rule for seven years, and that he will fill the Earth with justice, and that Isa (a.s) will appear and assist him in fighting against Dajjal, and that he (ajf) will lead this Ummah in prayers and Isa (a.s) will pray behind him throughout his reign and leadership.

Source: Tahdheeb Al-Tahdheeb. Vol. 9, Pg. # 144.

Ibn Hajar:

And according to Ahmad, taken from the narration of Jabir about the Dajjal story and the coming down of Isa (a.s), "And they address Isa (a.s)" then it will be said, "Approach (advance) O you spirit of Allah (swt)." Then he says, "Let your Imam (leader) approach and lead you in prayers." And Ibn Majah mentioned it with the narration of Abi Umamatah Al-Taweel about Al-Dajjal, he said, "And all of them (meaning all Muslims) are at Bait Al-Maqadis (Jerusalem) and their Imam [leader] is a good man who came before to lead them in prayers, then Isa (a.s) comes down, then the Imam will draw back that Isa (a.s) will move forward, then Isa (a.s) stands in front of him and says, "Move forward since it has been made for you." And Aboo Al-Hassan Al-Khas'i Al-Abidi in Manaqib Al-Shafi'i said, "News (narrations) about Al-Mahdi (ajf) being from this Ummah and that Isa (a.s) prays behind him have been recurrent (numerous), he mentioned that in reply to the narration brought by Ibn Majah narrating Anas and it mentions, "And there is no Mahdi (ajf) but Isa (a.s)."

And about the praying of Isa (a.s) behind a man from this nation with this being at the end of time and the close rise of As-Sa'a (the hour), there is evidence about the true sayings mentioning that the land is never without someone rising for Allah (swt) with arguments, and Allah (swt) knows best."

Source: Fath Ul-Bari Fi Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Vol. 8, Pg. # 92 - 93.

Al-Suyuti:

This is similar to what has been reported to me about some people who reject what has been narrated that Isa (a.s) will descend and will pray behind Al-Mahdi (ajf) the morning prayers, and he has written a book about it and he says in his justification: "The position of a prophet is higher than to pray behind someone who is not a prophet." And this is one of the most astonishing statements, because the prayer of Isa (a.s) behind Al-Mahdi (ajf) is an established fact through several Saheeh (Authentic) narrations from the Messenger of Allah (saw) and he is Truthful, and his sayings cannot be false.

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Vol. 2, Pg. # 166 - 167.

Al-Suyuti:

Abdullah ibn Amr says that Isa (a.s) will descend after Mahdi (ajf) and will offer prayer behind him.

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Pg. # 78.

Aboo Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: There will be a person from this Ummah and Isa ibn Maryam (a.s) will pray behind him.

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Pg. # 64.

Hudhayfah relates that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: When Mahdi (ajf) will appear Isa ibn Maryam (a.s) will descend, and it will seem as though water is dropping from his hair. At that time Mahdi (ajf), addressing him, will say: "Please come forward and lead the people in prayer." Prophet Isa (a.s) will say: "The Iqamah was said for you; therefore, you will lead the prayer." Accordingly, Isa (a.s) will offer this prayer behind a man from my family (Mahdi (ajf)).

Source: Al-Hawi lil-Fatwa. Vol. 2, Pg. # 81.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal:

Narrating Abi (father of) Al-Zubayr, narrating Jabir son of Abdullah, he said, the messenger of Allah (saw) said, "Al-Dajjal (the impostor, the fake) will come out [at a period of] an almost total absence of religion, and a demise of science (knowledge), and he has forty nights to run (travel) around lands, a day is similar [felt as long as] to a year, and a day is similar to a month, and a day is similar to a week, then the remaining of his days are like your days.

And he has donkey that he rides, with a width of forty arms between his ears. Then he tells people,"I am your Lord," and he is one-eyed, and your Lord is not one-eyed, and it is written 'Kafir' [disbeliever] between his eyes, it is read by each writing (reading, literate) and non-writing believer. He reaches every water [source] and spring but Al-Madinah and Makkah. Allah (swt) has prohibited both of them to him, and angels were charged with [the protection of] their doors.

And he has mountains of bread and people are in hardship but those who follow him, and he has two rivers with him and I [the Prophet (saw)] am more knowledgeable about both of them than he is; one river is saying, Al-Jannah (heaven) and another is saying, Al-Naar (hell fire). The one who gets into the one he calls Al-Jannah then it is hell fire, and the one who enters the one he calls Al-Naar then it is heaven."

He (saw) said, "Then Allah (swt) will send Satans with him that talk to people, and there is a great [disturbance, misleading] temptation with him, he orders the sky then it will rain while people are watching, then he kills a soul then he makes it rise as people are watching, and he will have no power over other soul then he will say, 'O people! Is anything like this done by anyone but a Lord?'"

He (saw) said, "The Muslims will escape towards the mountain of smoke at Al-Shaam, then he reaches them and beleaguers them and the siege gets hard and he exerts them [make them exhausted], then Isa (a.s) [Jesus] son of Mary (s.a) comes down and calls starting at fore-dawn [the last time of the night before dawn] and says, 'O people! What prohibits you from going to this malignant (wicked) liar?" Then they say; 'This is a man who is a demon.' Then they go, then they get with Isa (a.s) son of Mary (s.a) and Salaah [prayers] is set, then he is told, 'O Ruhullah (spirit of Allah (swt)), lead the prayer!' Then he says, 'Let your Imam (leader) come forward and lead your prayers.' Then, once he performs the morning prayer, they go out to [reach] him." He (saw) said,"Then, when he meets the liar, the liar dissolves like salt dissolves in water, then he walks towards him and kills him, then trees and stones call, 'O Ruhullah (spirit of Allah (swt)), this is a Jew.' Then he would not leave anyone of his followers but kill him." 

Shuayb Al-Arna'ut: Hadeeth obeys the conditions of Muslim.

Source: Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Vol. 23, Pg. # 210 - 212, H. # 14954. 

Ibn Abi Shaybah:

Narrated to us Aboo Usama from Hisham from Ibn Sireen who said: "Al-Mahdi (ajf) is from this Ummah and he is the one who leads Isa ibn Maryam (a.s)."

Source: Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah. Vol. 14, Pg. # 182, H. # 38645.

Al-Albani:

"From us is the one that Isa ibn Maryam (a.s) prays behind."

It is Saheeh (Authentic).

(Narrated in Kitab Al-Mahdi of Aboo Na'eem) from Abi Sa'eed.

Source: Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer. Vol. 2, Pg. # 1029, H. # 5920.

Al-Albani:

"Isa ibn Maryam (a.s) will descend and their leader Al-Mahdi (ajf) says: 'Come forward and lead our prayers.' So he (Isa (a.s)) will say: 'No, some amongst you are commanders over some. This is the honour from Allah (swt) for this Ummah.'"

Al-Harith ibn Abi Usama has narrated it in his Musnad: "Narrated to us Isma'eel ibn Abdul-Karim from Ibraheem ibn Aqeel from his father from Wahab ibn Munabbeh from Jabir who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said. "..." and then he mentions the above narration.

Such it is written in Al-Manar Al-Munif Fi Saheeh Wa Al-Da'eef of Ibn Qayyim (Pg. # 147-148), and he says: "Its chain is good." And Sheikh Al-Ubbad confirms it in his Risalah about Al-Mahdi (ajf), published in the twelfth year in the first edition of the magazine, "Al-Jami'atul Islamiyyah (Pg. # 304)."

I say: It is as Ibn Qayyim has said, because its narrators, all of them are trustworthy, of the narrators of Abi Dawood, and it might have been criticized for the disconnection between Wahab and Jabir, because Ibn Ma'een has said about this Isma'eel: "He is trustworthy, a truthful person and the booklet that he has narrated from Wahab from Jabir is not good, it is a book attributed to them, because Wahab has not heard anything from Jabir."

Then Al-Hafiz Al-Mazzi comments on that in Tahdheeb Al-Kamal and says: "Aboo Bakr ibn Khuzaymah has narrated in his Saheeh from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Isma'eel ibn Abdul-Karim from Ibraheem ibn Aqeel from Wahab ibn Munabbeh who said: "This is what I have asked about from Jabir ibn Abdullah and he narrated to me that the Prophet (saw) used to say: 'Tie the mouths of your water skins and close your doors (when you go to bed),…' till the end of hadeeth and this chain is Saheeh (Authentic) up to Wahab ibn Munabbeh. And it refutes the people who say that he has not heard from Jabir, because the testimony upon proving proceeds ahead of testimony on denial and the booklet of Homam (brother of Wahab) from Abi Huraira is famous among scholars and Aboo Huraira died before Jabir, so how can someone reject his hearing from him and all of them lived in the same place?" And Al-Hafiz refutes it in Tahdheeb Al-Tahdheeb, saying: "I say: As about the possibility of hearing, there is no doubt about it, but this is about Homam, as about his brother Wahab who is the point of discussion is not related to that and arguing with this chain against Ibn Ma'een is not relevant, because apparently Ibn Ma'een used to mistake this Isma'eel with Wahab in his saying: 'I asked Jabir' and the correct wording was 'from Jabir,' Allah (swt) knows best."

And I say: there is no proof that Ibn Ma'een knew about the statement of Wahab: "I asked Jabir." And even if he knew, it is attributing a mistake to a trustworthy person without proof and that is not allowed, especially with the possibility of hearing and innocence of Tadlees, because this is enough on 'chain's connection' among Muslims and all scholars, even if hearing is not proven, let alone that it has been proven? And Al-Hafiz has mentioned in the biography of Aqeel that Al-Bukhari has commented in his Saheeh from Jabir about the interpretation of Surah Al-Nisa, after mention Kahins and it has been narrated in the connected form through Aqeel from Wahab ibn Munabbeh from Jabir.

I say: He has mentioned in (6/252) that Ibn Abi Hatam has also narrated it in the connected from from Wahab ibn Munabbeh that he said: "I asked Jabir ibn Abdullah about the Tawaghit…" and it is explicit also that he has heard from him and the success is with Allah (swt).

The original hadeeth is in Saheeh Muslim through another chain from Jabir that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: "A section of my people will not cease fighting for the Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection." He said: "Jesus (a.s) son of Mary (s.a) would then descend and their (Muslims') commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: 'No, some amongst you are commanders over some. This is the honour from Allah (swt) for this Ummah.'"

So the commander in this hadeeth is Al-Mahdi (ajf) mentioned in the narration that we discuss in this section and it explains it. And the success is by Allah (swt).

Source: Silsilatu Ahadeeth Al-Saheehah. Vol. 5, Pg. # 276 - 278.

Al-Albani:

And From Us Is The One Whom Isa (a.s) Son Of Mary (s.a) Prays Behind (lead by him)

Al-Suyuti, in Al-Jami, referred it to Abi [father of] Na'eem in "Kitab Al-Mahdi" [Book of (about) Al-Mahdi (ajf)] narrating Abi Sa'eed and Al-Manawi said, "And it has weakness."

And I say, "It was not easy to find its reference till now. However, this narration is considered correct by me because its wording came separated in many narrations about him being from the holy household [of the Prophet (saw)], there are three narrations about this. The first one through the narration of Umm Salamah (r.a) mentioned by Aboo Dawood and others with true reference and it was mentioned in "Al-Da'eefah" as narration (80) and in Al-Rawdh Al-Nadheer" (2/54).

The second one; from the narration of Alee and it was mentioned in "Al-Rawdh" too (2/53). 

The third one; from the narration of Abi Sa'eed and it is mentioned in "Al-Rawdh" too and in "Al-Mishkaat" (54).

And about his prayer leading Isa (peace be upon him), then there is a narration about this referred to Jabir (may Allah (swt) be pleased with him). "There will remain a group of my Ummah (nation) who will fight for the right and they shall be superior to the day of Qiyamah (rise)." He (saw) said, "Then Isa (s.a) son of Mary (s.a) descends and their chief in command will tell him, 'Come and lead our prayer.' Then he replies, 'No, you are the chiefs over each other, a grace from Allah (swt) for this Ummah (nation).'"

Muslim and others mentioned it [the narration] and it has been previously mentioned as the narration number (1960). And there is more proof about it brought by the narration of Uthman son of Abi Al-A'as about the second part of it.

Ahmad mentioned it (4/216-217) and Al-Hakim (4/478) and he said, "Its reference is correct." And Al-Dhahabi said, "That it is known that it is from the narration of Alee son of Zaid son of Jad'aan only, which means it is weak." 

And in the same chapter, there are other narrations declaring that the leader behind whom Isa (peace be upon him) will pray is Al-Mahdi (ajf) and you can check it in "Al-Urf Al-Wardi" for Al-Suyuti (Pg. # 81, 83, 84), and the narration of Jabir was mentioned with number (2236) and Al-Suyuti ended that by what he narrated from Abi [father of] Al-Hassan Al-Sehri. And narrations were recurrent and abundant through many narrators who narrated the chosen one [the Prophet (saw)] about the coming of Al-Mahdi (ajf) and that he is from his [the Prophet's (saw)] household." And that he comes out with Isa (peace be upon him), and that he helps him to kill Al-Dajjal, and that he leads this nation and Isa (a.s) prays behind him…"

Source: Al-Silsila Al-Saheeha Al-Hadeeth. Vol. 5, Pg. # 371 - 372, H. # 2293.

Al-Albani:

"A section of my people will not cease fighting for the Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection." He said: "Jesus (a.s) son of Mary (s.a) would then descend and their (Muslims') commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: 'No, some amongst you are commanders over some. This is the honour from Allah (swt) for this Ummah.'"

It is Saheeh (Authentic).

(Narrated in Musnad Ahmad and Saheeh Muslim) from Jabir.

Source: Saheeh Al-Jaami As-Sagheer. Vol. 2, Pg. # 1120, H. # 7293. 

 The Appearance Of Al-Sufyani And The Event Of Khasf Al-Bayda

In order to discuss the allegiance to Imam Mahdi (ajf), we need to understand the events that have already occurred and those that will occur in the future. 

We shall certainly lay emphasis on the arrival of Al-Sufyani and his army in Syria, who shall head towards Makkah and Madinah, as well as the event of Khasf Al-Bayda in which the army of Sufyani will get swallowed up by the earth in the area located between Makkah and Madinah and other events that shall take place.

As with many of our articles, we shall examine these events using reputable Shi'a and Sunni sources. However, since there are several overlapping events, we shall mention only those from a single Shi'a narration first, rather than those from many shorter narrations. This one narration itself has been narrated through several chains up to Al-Hassan ibn Mahboub from Amr ibn Abul Miqdam from Jabir from Imam Al-Baqir (a.s). 

Despite the fact that some of the events that we are to discuss in this narration are not well known, most of them are mentioned in both Shi'a and Sunni sources. This narration shall then be followed by Sunni sources that have also mentioned these events. Thus, it is not difficult to connect the dots and uncover the whole picture.

Sheikh Al-Nu'mani:  

Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from the four men from Al-Hassan bin Mahboob, Muhammad bin Ya'qoob Al-Kulayni narrated from Alee bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from his father, Muhammad bin Imran narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Alee bin Muhammad and others from Sahl bin Ziyad from Al-Hassan bin Mahboob and Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah narrated from Aboo Alee Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Aboo Nashir from Ahmad bin Hilal from Al-Hassan bin Mahboob from Amr bin Abul Miqdam from Jabir bin Yazid Al-Ju'fi that Aboo Ja'far Al-Baqir (a.s) had said:

"O Jabir, keep quiet until you see some signs that I will mention to you - if you remain alive until then: The first is the disagreement of the Abbasid's. I do not think that you will live until then but narrate this from me after my death. Other signs are a call from the Heaven, a cry comes from the direction of Damascus, one of the villages of Shaam called Al-Jabiya sinks, a part of the mosque of Damascus falls down, a group of the Turks apostates and then commotion in Rome. The Turks come and occupy the island whereas the Romans come to settle in Ar-Ramla.

O Jabir, that year will be full of events everywhere from the direction of the west. The first country that will be ruined is Shaam. Then people will disagree and divide into three armies; the army of the reddish one, the army of the spotted one and the army of Sufyani. Sufyani will fight the spotted one and he will kill him with his followers, and then he will fight the reddish one and he will kill him.

Then he will move towards Iraq. He will pass by Qarqeesiya'. A fight will break out. As-Sufyani will kill about one hundred thousands of the arrogants. Then he will send an army of seventy thousand warriors towards Kufa. They will kill, crucify and capture many of the people of Kufa. While they are doing so, an army will come from the direction of Khorasan. With this army, there will be some companions of Al-Qa'im.

A faithful man from Kufa with weak followers will revolt but he will be killed by the leader of As-Sufyani's army between Kufa and Heera. As-Sufyani will send a troop to Madinah. Al-Mahdi (ajf) will flee from Madinah to Makkah. The leader of the army will be informed that Al-Mahdi (ajf) has gone to Makkah so he will send a troop to follow after him but with no use. Al-Mahdi (ajf) will enter Makkah frightfully and cautiously like Prophet Musa (a.s).

The army of As-Sufyani will stop in the desert. A caller from the Heaven will call out: "O desert, destroy these people!" The desert will sink with the army and none of them will escape death except three persons whom Allah (swt) will turn their faces towards their backs. It is about them that this verse has been revealed, 'O you who have been given the Book! Believe that which We have revealed, verifying what you have, before We alter faces then turn them on their backs.'

On that day, Al-Qa'im (ajf) will be in Makkah leaning his back against the Ka'ba. He will announce: "O people, we resort to Allah (swt) to make us succeed. Whoever of you wants to support us, let him join us. We are the progeny of your Prophet Muhammad (saw). We are worthier of Allah (swt) and Muhammad (saw) than other people. Whoever argues with me about Adam (a.s), I am the worthiest of Adam (a.s). Whoever argues with me about Noah (a.s), I am the worthiest of Noah (a.s).Whoever argues with me about Ibraheem (a.s), I am the worthiest of Ibraheem (a.s). Whoever argues with me about Muhammad (saw), I am the worthiest of Muhammad (saw). Whoever argues with me about the prophets (a.s), I am the worthiest of the prophets (a.s).

Has Allah (swt) not said in his Book, 'Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Imran above the nations; offspring one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing?' I am a remainder of Adam, a relic of Noah, elite of Abraham and a choice of Muhammad, peace be upon them all.

Whoever argues with me about the Book of Allah (swt), I am the worthiest of the book of Allah (swt). Whoever argues with me about the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah (saw), I am the worthiest of the Sunnah of the messenger of Allah (saw).

I adjure everyone who hears my speech today, to inform the absent of it. I ask you with the right of Allah (swt), the right of His messenger (saw) and with my right, for I have a right of kinship to the messenger of Allah (saw), to support us and to protect us from those who have wronged us. We have been wronged, offended, expelled from our homes, separated from our families, deprived of our rights and our honor and virtues have been distorted by the evil people. For the sake of Allah (swt), do not fail us. Support us that may Allah (swt) supports you!"

Allah (swt) will make his (Al-Mahdi's (ajf)) three hundred and thirteen companions join him without any previous appointment. O Jabir, it is the verse that Allah (swt) has revealed in His Book, 'Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things.' People will pay homage to him between the corner (of the Ka'ba) and the temple (of Ibraheem (a.s)). With him there will be a covenant from the Prophet (saw) that has been inherited by the descendants; one after the other.

O Jabir, Al-Qa'im is one of Al-Hussain's (a.s) descendants. Allah (swt) will make him succeed within a night. O Jabir, if people doubt all that, let them not doubt his descending from the Prophet (saw) and his inheriting knowledge from the Ulama (the infallible Imams) one after the other. If all these things become confusing to them, then the call that will come from the Heaven and will call out his name and his parents' names certainly will not be confusing to them at all."

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Nu'mani. Pg. # 205 - 207.

Al-Bukhari:

Narrated A'isha: Allah's Messenger (saw) said, "An army will invade the Ka'ba and when the invaders reach Al-Baida', all the ground will sink and swallow the whole army." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (saw)! How will they sink into the ground while amongst them will be their markets (the people who worked in business and not invaders) and the people not belonging to them?" The Prophet (saw) replied, "All of those people will sink but they will be resurrected and judged according to their intentions."

Source: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Pg. # 510, H. # 2118. 

Muslim ibn Hajjaj:

Chapter: The Earth Swallowing Up The Army That Aims To Attack The Ka'ba:

Harith ibn Abi Rabi'a and Abdullah ibn Safwan both went to Umm Salamah (r.a), the Mother of the Faithful, and they asked her about the army which would be sunk in the earth, and this relates to the time when Ibn Zubair (was the governor of Makkah). She reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) had said that a seeker of refuge(i.e. Al-Mahdi) would seek refuge in the Sacred House and an army would be sent to him (in order to kill him) and when it would enter a plain ground(Al-Bayda), it would be made to sink. I said: "Allah's Messenger (saw), what about him who would be made to accompany this army willy nilly?" Thereupon he said: "He would be made to sink along with them but he would be raised on the Day of Resurrection on the basis of his intention." Aboo Ja'far said, "This plain ground means the plain ground of Madinah."

Abdullah b. Safwan reported that Hafsa told him that she had heard Allah's Apostle (saw) saying: An army would attack this House in order to fight against the inhabitants of this House, and when it would be at the plain ground, the ranks in the centre of the army would be sunk and the vanguard would call the rear flanks of the army and they would also be sunk and no flank would be left except some people who would go to inform them (their kith and kin). A person (who had been listening to this hadeeth from Abdullah ibn Safwan) said: "I bear testimony in regard to you that you are not imputing a lie to Hafsa. And I bear testimony to the fact that Hafsa is not telling a lie about Allah's Apostle (saw)."

Abdullah ibn Safwan reported the Mother of the Faithful as saying that Allah's Messenger (saw) said: They(i.e. Al-Mahdi and his followers) would soon seek protection in this House, viz. Ka'ba (the defenseless), people who would have nothing to protect themselves in the shape of weapons or the strength of the people. An army would be sent to fight (and kill) them and when they would enter a plain ground, the army would be sunk in it. Yusuf (one of the narrators) said: "It was a people of Syria (hordes of Hajjaj) who had been on that day coming towards Makkah for an attack (on 'Abdulllah b. Zubair)" and Abdullah b. Safwan said: "By God, it does not imply this army."

Yusuf said: "And the people of Syria in those days were setting out towards Makkah, then Abdullah ibn Safwan said: 'By God it is not this army.'"

Zayd said: "And narrated to me Abdul-Malik Al-Ameri from Abdul-Rahman ibn Sabit from Al-Harith ibn Abi Rabi'a from Umm Al-Mo'mineen like the narration Yusuf ibn Mahak, he only did not mention the army that Abdullah ibn Safwan mentioned."

A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) was startled in the state of sleep. We said:
"Allah's Messenger (saw), you have done something in the state of your sleep which you never did before." Thereupon he said: "Strange it is that some people of my Ummah would attack the House (Ka'ba) (for killing) a person who would belong to the tribe of the Quraysh and he would try to seek protection in the House. And when they would reach the plain ground they would be sunk." We said: "Allah's Messenger (saw), all sorts of people throng the path." Thereupon he said: "Yes, there would be amongst them people who would come with definite designs and those who would come under duress and there would be travellers also, but they would all be destroyed through one (stroke) of destruction. though they would be raised in different states (on the Day of Resurrection). Allah (swt) would, however, raise them according to their intention."

Source: Saheeh Muslim. Pg. # 1317 - 1318, H. # 4- 8.

Ibn Hazm:

And narrated through Muslim from Aboo Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah from Yunus ibn Muhammad from Al-Qasim ibn Al-Fadhl Al-Haddani from Muhammad ibn Ziyad from Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr who said: A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) was startled in the state of sleep. She said: "Allah's Messenger (saw), you have done something in the state of your sleep which you never did before." Thereupon he (saw) said: "Strange it is that some people of my Ummah would attack the House (Ka'ba) (for killing) a person who would belong to the tribe of the Quraysh and he would try to seek protection in the House. And when they would reach the plain ground they would be sunk." We said: "Allah's Messenger (saw), all sorts of people throng the path." Thereupon he said: "Yes, there would be amongst them people who would come with definite designs and those who would come under duress and there would be travellers also, but they would all be destroyed through one (stroke) of destruction. though they would be raised in different states (on the Day of Resurrection). Allah (swt) would, however, raise them according to their intention."

Aboo Muhammad (Ibn Hazm) said: This narration is Saheeh (Authentic), it has been narrated at the highest levels of authenticity from three of the Mothers of the Believers and from Ibn Al-Zubayr and he is the companion that the Prophet (saw) informed that Makkah will be invaded after him.

Source: Al-Muhallah bil Athaar. Pg. # 2235.

Ibn Abi Hatam:

I asked my father about the hadeeth of Muhammad ibn Jabir from Abdul-Aziz ibn Rufai' from Abdullah ibn Al-Qutaybah who said: Me and Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s) entered upon Umm Salamah (r.a), so he said: "Narrate to me about the army that will sink." She said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: 'Al-Sufyani will rise in Syria and will set out towards Kufa, then he will send an army towards Madinah, so they will fight as long as Allah (swt) wants, until the unborn die in the wombs of their mothers, then a seeker of safety(i.e. Al-Mahdi) from among the children of Faatima (s.a), or from the children of Alee (a.s) come to the Haram (i.e. Ka'ba), so they will come after him. When they reach the Bayda of the earth, they will sink into the ground, except for one person who will give their news to people."

My father said: He is Ubaydallah ibn Al-Qutaybah and in his wording there is an addition that is not in other people's narration.

Source: Al-Ilal of Aba Hatam Al-Razi. Vol. 6, Pg. # 586 - 587, H. # 2785. 

Ibn Hibban:

The narration that mentions that an army will sink into earth who are coming after Al-Mahdi (ajf) to take the power from him:

Narrated to us Aboo Ya'laa from Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Rufa'a from Wahab ibn Jarir from Hisham ibn Abi Abdullah from Qatada from Saleh Abi Al-Khalil from Mujahid from Umm Salamah (r.a) who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Disagreement will occur at the death of a Caliph, and a man of Quraysh from the people of Madinah will rise and go to Makkah, then people of Makkah will gather around him and pay him allegiance between Rukn and Maqam while he is not interested, then an army will be sent against him from Syria, until they reach Al-Bayda they will sink into the earth, then the pious of Iraq and the saints of Syria will join him, then a man from Quraysh will send his cousins of Kalb against them, but they will overcome them and defeat them. He will distribute the wealth justly among people and will establish among them the Sunnah of their Prophet (saw) and will establish Islam in the neighboring countries, he will live seven or nine years."

Footnote: Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Rufa'a, even though he is weak, however, others besides him have narrated this narration as well and the rest of the narrators are trustworthy of the narrators of Shaikhayn. Saleh Aboo Al-Khalil is Saleh ibn Abi Maryam Al-Dhuba'ee and the narration is also in Musnad Abi Ya'laa.

Source: Saheeh ibn Hibban. Vol. 15, Pg. # 158 - 159.

Ibn Qayyim:

Narrated Aboo Dawood from Saleh ibn Abi Maryam Abi Khalil Al-Dhuba'ee from a companion of his from Umm Salamah (r.a) from the Prophet (saw) that he said: "Disagreement will occur at the death of a Caliph, and a man of the people of Madinah will come forth to Makkah. Some of the people of Makkah will come to him, bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. An expeditionary force will then be sent against him from Syria but will be swallowed up in the desert between Makkah and Madinah. When the people see that, the eminent saints of Syria and the best people of Iraq will come to him and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam.

Then there will arise a man of Quraysh whose maternal uncles belong to Kalb and send against them an expeditionary force which will be overcome by them, and that is the expedition of Kalb. Disappointed will be the one who does not receive the booty of Kalb. He will divide the property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet (saw) and establish Islam on Earth. He will remain seven years, then die, and the Muslims will pray over him.

Aboo Dawud said: Some transmitted from Hisham "nine years" and some "seven years."

Al-Imam Ahmad has narrated it with two wordings and Aboo Dawood has narrated it in another form from Qatada from Abi Al-Khalil from Abdullah ibn Al-Harith from Umm Salamah (r.a) likewise and Abi Ya'laa has narrated it in his Musnad through Qatada from Saleh Abi Al-Khalil from a companion of his and Saleh has probably said from Mujahid from Umm Salamah (r.a). And this narration is Hasan (Reliable) and for a hadeeth like this it is allowed to be said that it is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Al-Manar Al-Manif Fi Saheeh Wa Al-Da'eef. Pg. # 144 - 145, H. # 331. 

Al-Tabarani:

Narration of Mujahid from Umm Salamah (r.a):

Narrated to us Hafs ibn Umar ibn Al-Sabah Al-Ruqqi from Ubaydallah ibn Amr from Ma'mar from Qatada from Mujahid from Umm Salamah (r.a) who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Disagreement will occur at the death of a Caliph, and a man of Bani Hashim(i.e. Al-Mahdi) will rise and come from Madinah to Makkah, then people will gather around him and pay him allegiance between Rukn and Maqam while he is not interested, then an army will be sent against them from Syria, until they reach Al-Bayda they will sink into the earth, then the best people of Iraq and the saints of Syria will join him, then a man will send his cousins of Kalb against them, so Allah (swt) will defeat them and that is the day of Kalb, unfortunate is the one who does not benefit from the booty of Kalb. He will open the treasures and distribute wealth justly and will establish Islam on earth, he will live seven or nine years."

Ubaydallah said: Then I narrated this narration to Layth, so he said: Mujahid narrated it to me too.

Source: Mu'jam Al-Kabir. Vol. 23, Pg. # 390 - 391, H. # 931.

Al-Haythami:

And it has been narrated from her (i.e. Umm Salamah (r.a)) that she said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: "Disagreement will occur at the death of a Caliph, and a man of Bani Hashim(i.e. Al-Mahdi) will rise and come to Makkah, then people will bring him out of his house to between Rukn and Maqam, then someone will send an army of his cousins of Kalb after him, so he will send an army against them, that is the day of Kalb, unfortunate is the one who does not benefit from the booty of Kalb. He will open the treasures and distribute wealth justly and will establish Islam on earth, he will live seven or nine years."

Al-Tabarani has narrated it in Al-Awsat and its narrators are of the narrators of Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Majma Al-Zawa'id. Vol. 7, Pg. # 433, H. # 12399.

Al-Hakim:

Narrated to us Aboo Muhammad Ahamd ibn Abdullah Al-Mazani from Zakariyya ibn Yahya Al-Saaji from Muhammad ibn Isma'eel ibn Abi Samina from Al-Walid ibn Muslim from Al-Awza'ee from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir from Abi Salamah from Abi Huraira who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw): "A man will rise with the name Al-Sufyani in the deep side of Damascus and its surroundings and most of his followers are of Kalb. He will cut the wombs of women and kill the children, then the tribe of Qays will unite against them and he will kill them with a blow. Then a man from my Ahlulbayt (a.s) will rise in Harra, then the news reaches Al-Sufyani, so he sends a part of his army against him and will defeat them, then Al-Sufyani will go after them with his army until they reach the ground of Al-Bayda. The earth will swallow them up and no one of them will survive except for one person who brings their news."

Al-Hakim: This hadeeth's chain is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn (Bukhari and Muslim), but they have not narrated it.

Al-Dhahabi: It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 565, H. # 294/8586.

Al-Albani:

"A man will be paid allegiance between Rukn and Maqam, and the House (i.e. Ka'ba) will not be destroyed except by its people (i.e. Muslims) and when they do that, then do not ask me how the Arabs are going to be destroyed. Then they will go to Habasha and will destroy it in such a way that it will not be built ever again and they are the people who will extract its treasure."

Ibn Abi Shaybah has narrated it in Al-Musannaf and Al-Hakim and Al-Arzuqi in Tarikh Al-Makkah and Al-Baghawi in Al-Ja'diyyat and through him Al-Dhahabi in Siyar A'lam Al-Nubala and Al-Tiyalisi and Ahmad through their chains from Ibn Abi Zehb from Sa'eed ibn Sam'an who said: I heard Aboo Huraira narrating to Aba Qatada that the Prophet (saw) said, and then he mentions the hadeeth.

I say: And this chain is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy of the narrators of Shaikhayn except for Sa'eed ibn Sam'an and he is trustworthy as in Al-Taqreeb and the narration he has mentioned it only from Al-Jame' Al-Kabir and Ibn Asakir and he has mentioned it through Ahmad and is silent about it, so it is Hasan (Reliable) according to him or Saheeh (Authentic) and Al-Hakim says: "It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn" and Al-Dhahabi has rejected it, saying: "I say: They have not narrated from Ibn Sam'an anything, and no one has narrated from him except Ibn Abi Zehb and he has been talked against."

I say: No one has talked against him, except Al-Azdi and that is why Al-Hafiz has rejected it in Al-Taqreeb: "He is trustworthy, and Al-Azdi is not right on weakening him."

I say: And Al-Azdi is an extremist in weakening, Al-Dhahabi has mentioned it himself in some of the biographies of narrators and Ibn Sam'an has been authenticated by Al-Nasa'i, Al-Darqutni and Ibn Hibban. As about his statement: "No one has narrated from him Ibn Abi Zehb" and I think he has forgotten to say "except," however, he himself has mentioned his narrations from him in Al-Kashf and has compared him with another person.

Source: Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah. Vol. 6, Pg. # 553 - 554, H. # 2743.  

Ibn Shabbah:

Narrated to us Ahmad ibn Isa from Abdullah ibn Wahab from Ibn Lahiyha from Bisr ibn Lukhm Al-Ma'afiri who said: I heard Aba Faraas saying: I heard Abdullah ibn Umar saying: "When the army is swallowed up in Al-Bayda, that would be a sign of the rise of Al-Mahdi (ajf)."

Source: Tarikh Al-Madinah. Vol. 1, Pg. # 293 - 294.

Al-Tabari:

Narrated to us Ibn Humayd from Ya'qoub from Ja'far from Sa'eed about the Verse: "And could you see when they shall become terrified, but (then) there shall be no escape" {34:51}. He said: "They are the army that will sink into earth in Al-Bayda and no one from them survives except one person who brings the news of what happened to his companions."

Narrated to us Hisam ibn Ruwad ibn Al-Jarrah from his father from Sufyan ibn Sa'eed from Mansoor ibn Al-Mu'tamir from Rib'ee ibn Al-Harrash who said: I heard Hudhayfah saying: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "There will be a conflict between the people of the east and the west." He said: "While they are in that turmoil, suddenly a man will come out from the valley of Yabis who will be called Sufyani and will set out for Damascus and he will send two armies, one towards the east and one towards Madinah, until they reach a cursed city in Babylon and they will kill and massacre more than three thousand people, and they will even cut the wombs of more than one hundred women, and will assassinate three hundred of the lambs of Bani Abbas, then they will leave for Kufa and will ruin its surroundings, then they leave for Syria, then a banner of guidance will come out of Kufa, then that army will reach them within two nights and will kill them in such a way that no one will remain of them to bring the news, and they take captives and booties, and the second army will be sent towards Madinah and they make it Halal for three days and three nights, they they set out towards Makkah, but when they reach Al-Bayda, Allah (swt) will send Jibra'eel and say: "O Jibra'eel, go and destroy them." So he will strike the earth with his leg and Allah (swt) will make the earth to swallow them up and that is the statement of Allah (swt) in Surah Saba: 'And could you see when they shall become terrified, but (then) there shall be no escape and they shall be seized upon from a near place' {34:51}. So there will remain no one except for two people; one of them will be the reporter of the good news (to Al-Mahdi (ajf)) and the other one will be the reporter of the bad news (to Al-Sufyani) and those two men are of the tribe of Juhayna." And that is why it is said: "And the certain news is with Juhayna."

Source: Tafsir Al-Tabari. Vol. 19, Pg. # 310 - 311.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - Fight Against The Dajjal

In history, at present and until the day of judgement, fighting will occur between the good and bad. Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) shall face much opposition from the people, from among them the hypocrites, corrupt scholars and of course, the Dajjal. Whether one's belief lies in the Dajjal being a system or an one-eyed individual, the fact remains that it is of a surety that fighting will take place in order for the truth to eventually triumph. 

Muslim ibn Hajajj:

Jabir b. Abdullah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: "A section of my people will not cease fighting for the truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection." He said: "Jesus (a.s) son of Mary (s.a) would then descend and their (Muslims') commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: 'No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you).' This is the honour from Allah (swt) for this Ummah."

Source: Saheeh Muslim. Pg. # 81 - 82, H. # 156 / 247.

Al-Albani:

Narrated Imran ibn Hussain: The Prophet (saw) said: "A section of my community will continue to fight for the right and overcome their opponents till the last of them fights with the Dajjal (Antichrist)."

Source: Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood. Vol. 2, Pg. # 91, H. # 2484.

Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) - His 313 Companions (Abdaals/Saints)

The companions loyal to Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) will number 313. It is also said in the narrations of the so-called, 'Ahl us Sunnah,' that these individuals will be from among the pious and saints, while those who are filled with arrogance and greed for wealth shall turn back on their heels as in the time of Talut (a.s) and Musa (a.s). Additionally, the specific number of '313' relates back to those companions at the Battle of Badr. Hence, this number in particular is not something conjured up or based on fiction as some believe.

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلإِ مِن بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِن بَعْدِ مُوسَى إِذْ قَالُواْ لِنَبِيٍّ لَّهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ أَلاَّ تُقَاتِلُواْ قَالُواْ وَمَا لَنَا أَلاَّ نُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَارِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْاْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ

Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of Allah. He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you? They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children. But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the unjust.

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوَاْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ وَاللّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

"And their prophet said to them: Surely Allah has raised Talut to be a king over you. They said: How can he hold kingship over us while we have a greater right to kingship than he, and he has not been granted an abundance of wealth? He said: Surely Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing."

وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نِبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَى وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلآئِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

And the prophet said to them: Surely the sign of His kingdom is, that there shall come to you the chest in which there is tranquility from your Lord and residue of the relics of what the children of Musa and the children of Haroun have left, the angels bearing it; most surely there is a sign in this for those who believe.

فَلَمَّا فَصَلَ طَالُوتُ بِالْجُنُودِ قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ مُبْتَلِيكُم بِنَهَرٍ فَمَن شَرِبَ مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي إِلاَّ مَنِ اغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةً بِيَدِهِ فَشَرِبُواْ مِنْهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَهُ هُوَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ قَالُواْ لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا الْيَوْمَ بِجَالُوتَ وَجُنودِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلاَقُو اللّهِ كَم مِّن فِئَةٍ قَلِيلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِيرَةً بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

So when Talut departed with the forces, he said: Surely Allah will try you with a river; whoever then drinks from it, he is not of me, and whoever does not taste of it, he is surely of me, except he who takes with his hand as much of it as fills the hand; but with the exception of a few of them they drank from it. So when he had crossed it, he and those who believed with him, they said: We have today no power against Jalut and his forces. Those who were sure that they would meet their Lord said: How often has a small party vanquished a numerous host by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.

وَلَمَّا بَرَزُواْ لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِ قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

And when they went out against Jalut and his forces they said: Our Lord, pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist us against the unbelieving people.

فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُودُ جَالُوتَ وَآتَاهُ اللّهُ الْمُلْكَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُ مِمَّا يَشَاءُ وَلَوْلاَ دَفْعُ اللّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الأَرْضُ وَلَكِنَّ اللّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

So they put them to flight by Allah's permission. And Dawood slew Jalut, and Allah gave him kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of what He pleased. And were it not for Allah's repelling some men with others, the earth would certainly be in a state of disorder; but Allah is Gracious to the creatures.

Holy Qur'aan {2:246-251}

Al-Bukhari:

Narrated Al-Bara: "We used to say that the warriors of Badr were over three-hundred-and-ten, as many as the Companions of Talut who crossed the river with him; and none crossed the river with him but a believer."

Source: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Pg. # 973, H. # 3959.

Al-Albani:

Chapter: What Has Been Related About The Number Of Companions Who Participated In The Battle Of Badr

Narrated Al-Bara': "We used to say that the participants of Badr on the Day of Badr were like the number of companions of Talut, three hundred and thirteen men."

[He said:] There is something on this topic from Ibn Abbas.

[Aboo Eisa said:] This Hadeeth is Hasan Saheeh (Reliable like Authentic). Ath-Thawri and others reported it from Aboo Ishaq.

Al-Albani: It is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Saheeh Sunan Al-Tirmidhi. Vol. 2, Pg. # 208 - 209, H. # 1598.

Al-Hakim:

Narrated to us Abul Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qoub from Al-Hassan ibn Alee ibn Affan Al-Aameri from Amr ibn Muhammad Al-Anqari from Yunus ibn Abi Is'haq from Ammar Al-Duhani from Abil Tufayl from Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiyyah who said: "We were in the presence of Alee (a.s) that a man asked him about Al-Mahdi (ajf), so he (a.s) said: 'Nay,' and he showed seven with his hands and said: 'That is a man who will come out at the End of Times when that man says: O Allah (swt)! O Allah (swt)!' So Allah (swt) will gather for him a group of people like the clouds join each other. Allah (swt) will put love between their hearts, they will not be afraid of anyone and will not be happy of anyone joining them, they are as many as the companions of Badr, no one will proceed ahead of the previous generations and those who come after will not have their status and they will be the number of the companions of Talut who crossed with him the river." Abul Tufayl said: Ibn Al-Hanafiyyah said: "Do you want to know his place?" I said: "Yes." He said: "He will come out in between these two pieces of wood." I said: "Inevitably by Allah (swt) I shall not see them until I die." So he died there, i.e. in Makkah, may Allah (swt) protect it.

Al-Hakim: This narration is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of the Shaikhayn (Bukhari and Muslim), but they have not narrated it.

Al-Dhahabi: It is Saheeh (Authentic) by the criteria of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 596 - 597, H. # 367/8659.

Ibn Shabbah:

Narrated to me Affan from Imran Al-Qattan from Qatada from Abil Khalil from Abdullah ibn Al-Harith from Umm Salamah (r.a) from the Prophet (saw): "The number of people of Badr (i.e. 313 people) will pay allegiance to a man between Rukn and Maqam, then troops from Iraq and Syria will come join him, then an army from Syria will follow them, but when they reach Al-Bayda they will sink into earth, then a man from the brothers of Kalb will come after them and they will confront each other, so Allah (swt) will defeat them, unfortunate is the person who does not benefit from the booty of Kalb."

Footnote: Aboo Dawood has narrated it and Imam Ahmad and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak and in its chain there is Imran Al-Qattan, (Ibn Hajar) says in Al-Taqreeb: He is truthful, but makes mistakes and Al-Haythami says: Al-Tabarani has narrated it in Al-Awsat and its narrators are the narrators of Saheeh. Majma Al-Zawahid, 7:315.

Source: Tarikh Al-Madinah. Vol. 1, Pg. # 292.

Ibn Abi Shaybah:

Narrated to us Affan from Imran Al-Qattan from Qatada from Abil Khalil from Abdullah ibn Al-Harith from Umm Salamah (r.a) that she said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The number of people of Badr (i.e. 313 people) will pay allegiance to a man between Rukn and Maqam, then troops from Iraq and eminent saints of Syria will come join him, then an army from Syria will follow them, but when they reach Al-Bayda they will sink into earth, then a man will send his cousins from Kalb against them and they will confront each other, so Allah (swt) will defeat them." And he used to say: "Unfortunate is the person who does not benefit from the booty of Kalb."

Footnote: Its chain is Hasan (Reliable), and Al-Tabarani has narrated in Al-Kabir and Aboo Dawood and Al-Hakim through Imran and Al-Hakim is silent about it and Al-Dhahabi says: Imran is weak according to more than one scholar and he was a Kharijite. I say: more than one scholar has authenticated him too and some have stayed silent and among them is his student Affan as Ibn Shahin mentions it in his Thuqat (Authenticated Ones): He is of the special companions of Qatada and his Sheikh in this narration is Qatada, so this hadeeth of his is Hasan (Reliable) and higher than Hasan.

And Ahmad has narrated it and Aboo Dawood through Qatada from Saleh Abi Al-Khalil from his companion from Umm Salamah (r.a), Al-Hafiz says in Al-Taqreeb that is Abdullah ibn Al-Harith, i.e. The companion mentioned in the chain of the author.

And Aboo Ya'laa has narrated it through Qatada from Saleh Abi Al-Khalil from a companion of his and probably Saleh said from Mujahid from Umm Salamah (r.a), this is how it has been mentioned by Abi Ya'laa with doubt not with certainty, Ibn Hibban has narrated it from Abi Ya'laa through his chain and in it from Mujahid with certainty.

Abdul-Razaq has narrated it from Ma'mar from Qatada in Mursal form, and his Marasil are famous in being weak, but it is enough what we already mentioned.

And, "The saints of Syria" has been mentioned in Al-Nihayah, saying: "It means that the army come together in Iraq and it is said: It means the collection of a group of pious people who are called the army of the pious, because he has compared them to Abdaal."

And "Al-Abdaal" as mentioned in Al-Nihayah: "They are the saints and disciples of Allah (swt), one is called Bad. They are called this way because whenever one of them dies another one takes his place."

And this narration is among the narrations about Al-Mahdi (ajf) who will appear at the End of Times and a group of learned scholars have declared the narrations about his appearance to be Mutawatir, so one should not pay attention to a minority who doubt it that it is mentioned continuously through some of the people with fake titles and claims.    

Source: Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah. Vol. 21, Pg. # 81 - 82, H. # 38378.

Al-Hakim:

Narrated to us Alee bin Hammad Al-Adil, from Ibraheem bin Al-Hussain Al-Hamdani, from Umar bin Asim Al-Kilabi, from Aboo Al-Awwam Al-Qattan, from Qutada, from Abi Al-Khaleel, from Abdallah bin Al-Harith, from Umm Salamah (r.a), who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "People exactly equal in number to the Companions of Badr (i.e. 313) will take the oath of allegiance on the hand of a person from my Ummah (i.e. Mahdi (ajf)) between the Black Stone and the Station of Ibraheem (a.s) (Maqam Ibraheem). Later on, the saints of Iraq and the Abdaals (substitutes) of Syria will also come to him (to give the oath of allegiance). Then an army will come to them, but when they reach Bayda, the earth will swallow them." 

Al-Dhahabi: Aboo Al-Awwam Imran has been weakened by more than one scholar, and he was a Khariji."

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 478, H. # 36/8328.

Aboo Tufayl relates from Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah that he said: We were sitting in the company of Alee (a.s) that a person asked him about Mahdi (ajf). Alee (a.s) (pleasantly) said: "Go away." Then, counting seven on his hand, he said: "Mahdi (ajf) will appear in the last days and (the dominance of non-religious forces will be at such a level that) anyone mentioning the name of Allah (swt) will be killed. (At the time of Mahdi's (ajf) appearance) Allah (swt) will gather a party around him, just as the separate pieces of cloud are joined together and Allah (swt) will create love (and unity) among them. They will neither fear anyone nor will they unnecessarily favour anyone (meaning that they deal with everybody equally). The people who will gather round the Caliph will number the Companions who had taken part in the battle of Badr (that is 313). This party will have a special superiority which was not possessed by anyone before them nor will anyone possess it after them. The number of the people in this party will be the same as the Companions of Talut (Saul) who had crossed the (Jordan) canal in the company of Talut.

Footnote: Narration is Saheeh (Authentic) according to the standards of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 596, H. # 367 / 8659.

Narrated to me Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Salamah Al-Anzi from Uthman ibn Sa'eed Al-Darami from Sa'eed ibn Abi Maryam from Nafi' ibn Yazeed from Ayyash ibn Abbas from Al-Harith ibn Yazeed from Abdullah ibn Zarir Al-Ghafiqi who said: I heard Alee (a.s) saying: "There will be tribulations through people will gain in it wealth as gold is attained from a mine. So do not swear the people of Al-Shaam (Syria), but rather speak out against their oppression, for verily, amongst them are Abdaal (Ascetics) (Allah (swt) will send a heavy rain from the sky and will drown them in a way that even if wolves fight with them, they will defeat them. Then Allah (swt) will send a man (Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf)) from the progeny of the Messenger (saw) with at least twelve thousand and at most fifteen thousand, their sign is that their slogan is, "Amet (Kill!), Amet (Kill!)." They are divided in to three groups who will fight with seven groups, every leader among them is greedy to achieve the reign, they will fight and will be defeated, then Al-Hashimi (Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf)) appears, then Allah (swt) bestows His blessings over people. They will be in that state until Dajjal appears.

Al-Hakim: This narration's chain is Saheeh (Authentic), but they (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim) have not narrated it.

Al-Dhahabi: It is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Al-Mustadrak Alaa As-Saheehayn. Vol. 4, Pg. # 596, H. # 366 / 8658.

Al-Haythami:

Narrated Umm Salamah (r.a): I heard the Prophet (saw) said: "Disagreement will occur at the death of a Caliph, and a man of the Bani Hashim (Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf)) will come to Makkah. Some of the people of Makkah will come to him, bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. An expeditionary force will then be sent against him from Syria, the uncles of of the tribe of Kalb, he will send an army to them and Allah (swt) will defeat them and they will surround them, that is the day of Kalb. Disappointed will be the one who does not receive the booty of Kalb. He will open the treasures, distribute wealth and establish Islam on Earth, people will live with prosperity for seven years" or he said: "Nine years."

Al-Haythami: Al-Tabarani has narrated it in Al-Awsat, and its narrators are the narrators of Saheeh (Bukhari and Muslim).

Source: Majma' Al-Zawa'id. Vol. 7, Pg. # 433, H. # 12399.

Narrated Umm Salamah (r.a): I heard the Prophet (saw) said: Disagreement will occur at the death of a Caliph, and a man of the Bani Hashim (Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf)) will come out and go to Makkah. Some people will come to him, bring him out and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. An expeditionary force will then be sent against him from Syria, when they reach Al-Baydaa, the Earth will swallow them, then the troops of Iraq and Abdaal (Ascetics) of Shaam (i.e. Syria) come to him, then a man in Shaam (i.e. Syria) will call his uncles from the tribe of Kalb, then he will send an army towards him, but Allah (swt) will defeat them and they will be surrounded, that is the day of Kalb, disappointed will be the one who does not receive the booty of Kalb. He will open the treasures, distribute wealth and establish Islam on Earth, people will live with prosperity for seven years" or he said: "Nine years."

Al-Haythami: Al-Tabarani has narrated it in Al-Awsat, and its narrators are the narrators of Saheeh (Bukhari and Muslim).

Source: Majma' Al-Zawa'id. Vol. 7, Pg. # 613, H. # 12399. 

We can safely conclude that the matter of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is a fact and not fiction and that he (ajf) will indeed be from the Prophet's (saw) family, the Ahlulbayt (a.s). He (ajf) shall return and manifest himself in Makkah to bring back peace and tranquility to this earth as it will be filled with tyranny and oppression. His position will be like that of no other, and will rule according to the Holy Qur'aan as Allah (swt) has ordained. Not even a minute injustice will be committed during that time and the oppressed will be taken care of. Greed and power-hungry leaders will be no more and the pure religion of Islam given back its true light away from innovations by means of Al-Thaqalayn; the Holy Qur'aan and Ahlulbayt (a.s).